Date: 18th July 2014 at 3:30pm
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At the ripe age of 16, Cesc Fabregas began his career at the Emirates Stadium in 2003. By the following season, the Spanish international was entrenched in Arsenal’s midfield, having established himself as one of the games brightest stars.

Now 27, Fabregas is returning to the Premier League after a three year hiatus in Barcelona. After Arsene Wenger, who had first priority, turned down the opportunity to bring him back, Chelsea will welcome the attacking midfielder to its club.

While at Barcelona, Fabregas appeared to round his game and take it to another level. One of the many great things Fabregas harnessed was his ability to play multiple positions on the pitch.

Due to their squad’s depth, versatility and free-flowing nature, players were often deployed in various positions on the pitch between matches.

Primarily a midfielder, Fabregas could be found playing on the wing or as a second striker as well. Sometimes, when Barcelona decided to play without a striker, Fabregas would play as a “false 10” while the club used its patented “tiki-taka” style of play.

This aspect of his game is what makes him so valuable to Chelsea this season and beyond: his ability to control the game in the midfield while also adapting to what the club needs is second to none.

His deft passing and playmaking nature will allow the likes of Diego Costa, Eden Hazard, Oscar and Andre Schürrle to focus on scoring goals while Fabregas sets them up. If any of them struggle to find their form, Fabregas has the skill to put balls in the back of the net as well.

While at Barcelona, Fabregas wasn’t relied upon as much due to the presence of Lionel Messi, Xavi, Neymar and the rest. Chelsea don’t have any players (maybe with the exception of Hazard) who are at that level just yet.

Instead, they are hoping that the sum of its parts will be greater than the whole, and that all starts with Fabregas’ playmaking in the middle of the field.

His skills with the ball allow Chelsea’s other central midfielder (whether it be Ramires, Nemanja Matic or someone else) to focus more on defense in a role that David Luiz used to fill. No one is saying that whoever starts next to Fabregas will replace Luiz’ skill, but Fabregas’ arrival allows them to focus on his effort on it.

Fabregas’ arrival also allows Mourinho to zero in on acquiring a second striker behind Costa, as he shores up the shaky midfield Chelsea often trotted out last season. There have been rumblings that Mourinho may be targeting the likes of Toni Kroos, Paul Pogba, and Angel di Maria, but those would simply be luxuries at this point; both a midfielder and second striker were pressing needs when the offseason began, and Mourinho already shored up one of those.

Chelsea’s hopes don’t hinge solely on Fabregas, but he is the type of player that can get them back on top in the Premier League. He’s a game-changing type of player and certainly someone that has to be accounted during any given match.

 

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