Wenger said there wasn’t room for both Cesc and Ozil in the same squad.
Former Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas has revealed that he held talks with the Gunners this summer before signing for London rivals Chelsea.
The 27-year-old left Barcelona after being told by new head coach Luis Enrique that he had no future at the Camp Nou.
Fabregas wanted to return to the Premier League and Arsenal had first refusal on him, but Gunners boss Arsene Wenger decided against re-signing the Spanish star because he has too many players in his position already.
Wenger’s snub then opened the door for Chelsea, who signed Fabregas on a five-year contract for a transfer fee of £27m on Thursday.
“When I decided that my time at Barcelona had ended, I looked for the best option for me,” Fabregas told The Guardian.
“Arsenal was the first option, for contractual reasons. There was a clause that gave them the right to decide. We spoke to Wenger and he said that the space was very well filled by Mesut Ozil and it was hard to find a place for both of us in the team.”
Wenger’s failure to bring Fabregas back to the Emirates Stadium has annoyed many Arsenal fans, whose disappointment increased on Friday when it was confirmed that right-back Bacary Sagna was to join Manchester City on a free transfer.
Fabregas, who will wear the number four shirt at Stamford Bridge, made 305 first-team appearances for Arsenal between 2003 and 2011, scoring 59 goals.
He left Arsenal to join Barca for £30m, scoring 28 times in 96 La Liga games.
While at Barca, Fabregas won one La Liga title, one Copa del Rey, two Supercopa de Espana crowns, one UEFA Super Cup and one FIFA Club World Cup.
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