Cesc Fabregas is a steadying hand in Chelsea’s dressing room and they should count themselves lucky to have him
Spanish midfielder has shown quiet diplomacy with his future questioned over the summer and Antonio Conte must realise he is important to the Blues achieving success this season
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CHELSEA fans never thought they’d compose a song about Cesc Fabregas let alone cheer him from the rafters.
And it is more surprising than anything in a turbulent summer for the politically volatile Blues that Fabregas is emerging as the steadying hand in the dressing room.
For the past 18 months the one-time captain of Arsenal and highly decorated Spain midfielder has had to put up with serious speculation about his future.
Every transfer window his own club go out and buy player after player in his position throwing fuel on the fire that he is surplus to requirements.
Even now with just over 24 hours of the transfer window left Chelsea are trying to sign Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Danny Drinkwater - two full blown internationals who would love to take the shirt off his back.
A World Cup and twice European Championship winner with Spain and two-times Premier League winner with Chelsea.
An FA Cup with Arsenal.
At 30 years old he has done it all bar the Champions League.
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He could throw a major strop and demand to leave like Oxlade-Chamberlain has from Arsenal of course.
His glittering CV affords him that arrogance.
There would also be plenty of takers. Even in his fourth decade Fabregas could stroll into any team in England with his sublime eye for a pass.
But maybe it’s an age thing that has calmed his impulse to whine and instead he just gets on with the job.
And each time there is a little setback, he responds in the way that makes the supporters purr and any manager trying to ditch him, squirm just a little in the dugout.
Sent off in the first game of this season against Burnley for sarcastically applauding the referee - there’s still youthful petulance in the old guy in game time.
But the answer to anyone doubting him upon his return from suspension on Sunday was to put Chelsea one-nil up against Everton, one of their supposed rivals this season, with a deft flick of the outside of his boot to claim a classy goal.
Out came the song from The Matthew Harding Stand about Fabregas and his magic hat.
Chelsea boss Antonio Conte had no option but to heap praise on the player who had dropped him in it from a great height in the opening game of the campaign with a needless red card.
From Fabregas’s point of view he sees no point forcing a move out of Chelsea anymore.
He has been there three years, his family are settled in London. He loves the place.
These things remain important for footballers irrespective of how much they earn.
He has seen competitors for his position come, and go.
Fabregas arrived at Stamford Bridge a few months after Nemanja Matic and has waved him off.
Oxlade-Chamberlain and Drinkwater, even Ross Barkley if he comes too will get the same treatment.
Fabregas has woken up to the fact that Chelsea is a club in transition. That he may not be used every week in the Premier League.
But as Conte has pointed out several times already, he needs a big squad to cope with the demands of Champions League football this season.
Oh hang on, that’s the one medal Fabregas still hasn’t got his sticky mitts on. Maybe there’s your answer why he is staying put.
Whatever the real reason behind Fabregas’s quiet diplomacy Chelsea would do well to leave this aging midfield star to his own devices and count themselves lucky to have him.
