Fabregas: Time to decide - trophies or youth
Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas has spoken of the pressure he feels in helping the Gunners finally end their trophy drought, and called on the club to decide if they want to continue developing youth or win some silverware.
After being held to a 1-1 draw with Liverpool on Sunday courtesy of Dirk Kuyt’s 102nd minute penalty, Arsene Wenger’s side saw their title hopes slip further out of their grasp.
“It’s true that Arsenal have got a reputation of a side that plays beautiful football, but don’t win anything," the Spaniard, who has scored more than 50 goals in a little over 300 appearances for the Gunners, told Don Balon.
“We won the FA Cup when I got here and we reached the Champions League Final. However, we haven’t been successful since 2007, despite playing good football.
“That’s when you realise that it doesn’t work. We were in four competitions at one stage of the season, but we’re still empty handed.
“We have to make a decision whether we want to develop young players or whether we want to win trophies.”
Fabregas' future continues to hog the back pages, having come close to rejoining Barcelona last summer, with the Catalans expected to resume their pursuit of the midfielder at the end of the season.
The 23-year-old admitted that, although he is open to a move away from Arsenal, he will not join another English club like his fellow countryman Fernando Torres did this season, swapping Liverpool for Chelsea in a record £50 million move.
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“I don’t feel like I have an obligation to stay at Arsenal. It’s all about patience and waiting until the right moment comes," he said.
“Who says I’ll become a key player at my new club? I’m very happy at a personal level right now. I’ve spoken with [Barcelona defender Carles] Puyol who told me that he didn’t win anything until he was 26.
“I did not imagine Torres leaving England or that he would move mid-season. I think it was a good decision."
By Diarmuid O'Riordan
Gregg Davies is the Chief Sub Editor of FourFourTwo magazine, joining the team in January 2008 and spending seven years working on the website. He supports non-league behemoths Hereford and commentates on Bulls matches for Radio Hereford FC. His passions include chocolate hobnobs and attempting to shoehorn Ronnie Radford into any office conversation.