Arsenal transfer news: Cesc Fabregas reveals why he turned down Real Madrid on multiple occasions while with Gunners

The Spaniard had several opportunities to move to the Bernabeu after a bright start to his career under Arsene Wenger

Cesc Fabregas has revealed how he rejected Real Madrid on several occasions while he was at Arsenal.

The Spanish midfielder made his name in north London after leaving Barcelona aged 16.

But Fabregas would eventually rejoin his boyhood club, eight years after joining the Gunners, but now insists he could have left sooner due to Real’s eagerness to sign him.

“They called me more than once or twice,” Fabregas recalls while speaking to AS.

“The first time I was very young. I was 18 and they offered me a big salary, but I felt like I belonged at Arsenal.

“Wenger had bet the farm on me. I couldn’t leave. In any case, I’ll always be grateful to Madrid for the way they treated me.

“When I was 23 I had a serious calf injury and they sent me a really nice message.

“I’m grateful for their interest in me but I always dreamed of playing for Barcelona and if I felt that way it was for a reason. It all worked out pretty well for me.”

Cesc Fabregas admits he could have joined Real Madrid (AFP/Getty)

Fabregas insists if he had wanted to play for Real then he could have, but now, at Monaco, the 32-year-old is already observing the game differently with a view to moving into coaching.

“I still want to play,” Fabregas admitted. “I’m still enthusiastic and in my head I’m still in the zone. I’m happy when I go in to train and I get angry when I lose a game.

“As long as that’s still the case I’ll keep going. Although it’s true that now I analyse the game more than I used to and I feel a coaching instinct that I didn’t have before. We’ll see.”