Cesc Fabregas joins Chelsea: Barcelona issue thinly-veiled dig at Fabregas for 'never being as good in the second half of the season as he was in the first'

Fabregas completed a £30m move to Chelsea on Thursday with Barcelona criticising the midfielder for failing to push on during his time at the Nou Camp

Cesc Fabregas is in the middle of a row with Barcelona over unpaid money, according to reports (GETTY IMAGES)

Barcelona have said goodbye to homegrown product Cesc Fabregas by firing a final dig at the midfielder following his completed £30m move to Chelsea on Thursday.

Fabregas spent three years with the Catalan club following his return from Arsenal in 2011, but he was deemed surplus to requirement by new Barcelona manager Luis Enrique who sold the midfielder to the Blues.

Having scored 42 goals in 151 matches for Barcelona, Fabregas leaves the club for the second time to head to the Premier League, and a thinly-veiled statement on the club’s website has acknowledged Fabregas’ failure to push on during a season as a key reason for his departure.

The statement read: “Despite glowing starts to each campaign, Cesc’s contributions to the cause gradually decreased as each season drew to a close.

“From being someone who joined in with the attack, supplying and scoring goals, the magic tended to fade later on in each season. He only scored one, six and one goals in the last 24 games of each season.

“For some reason, he was never as good in the second half of a season as in the first.”

But despite the clear criticism of Fabregas from the club – which was later amended to reflect on his positives – his Spain team-mate Xavi wished him well with his new club and admitted he will be a loss for Barcelona.

“It’s great news for him,” admitted Xavi. “I have seen him and he is looking very happy. He will be an important loss for Barcelona but I know it is what he wanted. He is my friend and I wish him well.”