Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes his former player Cesc Fabregas deserves a respectful welcome from Gunners supporters when he lines up against them for the first time in Chelsea colours at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Wenger confirmed once again that he turned down the chance to re-sign Fabregas when it became evident that he was leaving Barcelona last summer, yet he was eager to encourage Arsenal supporters to refrain from jeering their club’s former captain despite his move to their London rivals.

“Cesc Fabregas made the decision. When he left, we bought [Mesut] Ozil to have an offensive player. We have [Santi] Cazorla, we have [Jack] Wilshere, we have [Aaron] Ramsey, we have [Alex] Oxlade-Chamberlain. We were not in the need to buy any offensive players.

“It makes sense if you look at the balance of the team. That is a decision that is easy to understand.”
Wenger dismissed suggestions that his relationship with Fabregas broke down in his final few months at Arsenal, as he offered up a warm tribute to the player he moulded into a Premier League star.

“I have no animosity towards Cesc Fabregas,” he continued. “He is a person I love and a player I love.
After he left us, we are all professional people and we have to respect that.