CESC FABREGAS has revealed Arsene Wenger rejected the chance to re-sign him for Arsenal after being "hurt" by his initial departure.
The Spaniard, now 35, left Barcelona to join the Gunners at the age of just 16.
Under Wenger, he went on to enjoy eight stellar seasons in North London, winning the FA Cup and reaching the Champions League final.
In 2011, he returned to Barcelona for three years where he claimed the LaLiga title and Copa del Rey.
Then in 2014, the midfielder sought a Premier League comeback and gave Arsenal the opportunity to agree a deal before any other club.
However, Wenger ended up passing on Fabregas' return, before he joined Jose Mourinho's Chelsea.
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Speaking on Kammy and Ben's Proper Football Podcast, he said: "I really wanted to go back to the Premier League.
"In the contract when I signed for Barcelona we said that, after I leave, Arsenal will have the first option. They had a week to respond.
"So obviously we approached Arsenal, we said 'listen I'm leaving Barcelona and by law, you have a week to decide if you want to take me back or not.'
"For a week I couldn't talk to anyone (else). We notified Arsenal, Arsene, everyone, so after a week we called Arsene and he said he'd thought about it and he said they already had a lot of players in my position like Mesut Ozil, Cazorla, Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey and he said to fit me in he would have to play someone out [of position].
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"I think also he was a little bit hurt… by how I left and everything.
"I don't hold anything bad because it's their right, their decision and they could do what they wanted.
"I had a few options and one of them was Chelsea. I spoke to Mourinho, I met him. He told me things that were very nice to hear. He wanted me to be the leader of that team. It just felt right."
Fabregas would go on to win the Premier League and League Cup in his first season at Stamford Bridge.
He then claimed another league title in 2017 and the FA Cup in 2018.
Nowadays he is playing for Serie B side Como – where he is also a part-owner.
But he returned to Arsenal earlier this week to coach the Gunners' U18s alongside former team-mate Wilshere.
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