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Cesc Fabregas joins Chelsea: Fabregas once told Jose Mourinho to 'shut-up'

Pair appear to have put aside old feud

Simon Rice
Friday 13 June 2014 10:32 BST
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Cesc Fabregas could leave Barcelona for £30m
Cesc Fabregas could leave Barcelona for £30m

Cesc Fabregas today announced he was joining Chelsea in a move that appears to suggest his feud with Jose Mourinho has been laid to rest.

The Spain international has been allowed to leave Barcelona and after Arsenal opted not to take up a buy-back clause in the 27-year-old's contract, Fabregas joined Chelsea.

Despite it becoming apparent Fabregas was keen on a return to the Premier League, the specific destination of Stamford Bridge is an intriguing one considering his past with Mourinho.

Earlier this year the Chelsea manager suggested Manchester City would be playing the "worst Barcelona of many, many years" ahead of a meeting in the Champions League.

Barcelona would go on to win the first-leg of the tie at the Etihad Stadium 2-0, after which Fabregas took the opportunity to retort.

"Some people were talking a bit too much before the game and now they have to shut up for a few days," Fabregas told ITV.

"We had a great result tonight. The fans put so much pressure on and that's what makes this so win special. We had a point to prove, and we did it very well."

There may also be questions raised over how involved Mourinho was in pushing through the deal for Fabregas. The Independent understands the 'Special One' was keener on Atletico Madrid’s Koke and Juventus’s Paul Pogba.

Mourinho’s willingness to sell Juan Mata to Manchester United last January underlined how he does not always value players in the small, playmaking role and sources in Portugal indicated earlier this summer he would need to be persuaded that an outlay of close to £30m on Fabregas is the best use of that money.

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