The midfielder’s switch to the Ligue 1 club brings the curtain down on his four-and-a-half year Chelsea career, a period in which he won four major trophies, including two Premier League titles.

The Spaniard made 198 appearances for Chelsea, scoring 22 goals.

We thank Cesc for his wonderful service and wish him the very best of luck for the next chapter in what has been a fantastic career.

Farewell to a champion



Two Premier League titles, one FA Cup and one League Cup. Every major domestic honour ticked off.

An impressive medal haul for any player.

Fabregas arrived at Stamford Bridge as a European Championship and World Cup-winner with Spain, and at club level the midfielder enjoyed a fruitful period in terms of securing major trophies here at Chelsea, having played an integral role in each of those triumphs.

Possessing a superb range of passing, an eye for goal and the ability to use the ball well under pressure, it comes as no surprise that Fabregas has been such a key figure in the Chelsea midfield over the last four-and-a-half years.

He also deserves great credit for his versatility. Over the course of his time at the club, Fabregas played as a deep-lying midfielder in a 4-2-3-1, as part of a pair in a 3-4-3, further forward in the ‘number 10’ role and, most recently, as the playmaker in a 4-3-3, with his footballing intelligence allowing him to adapt to whatever role he has been asked to fulfil.

The midfielder departs England with the second-highest number of assists in Premier League history, 111, after recently making his 350th appearance in the competition during our game against Southampton, and he was also the fastest player to reach 100 Premier League assists, achieving the feat in just 293 matches.

Fabregas signed in the summer of 2014 as Jose Mourinho sought to add a creative presence in midfield following the departure of club legend Frank Lampard at the end of the previous season.

Immediate impact

Supporters wouldn’t have to wait long to witness his ability to open up opposition defences and provide goalscoring opportunities for his team-mates as Fabregas enjoyed a debut to remember in our opening game of the 2014/15 season at Burnley.

Operating in a deep midfield role, he dictated the tempo of the game throughout and provided the outstanding moment of quality when he laid on our second goal for Andre Schurrle with an exquisite first-time pass. He then supplied the corner from which Branislav Ivanovic made it 3-1 and deservedly walked away with the Man of the Match award. Two assists in one game. It was a sign of things to come.

