Cesc Fabregas’s Barcelona blues: Arsenal, City, Real and PSG to benefit with a bid?

A year since his £30 million switch from Arsenal, life doesn't appear as rosy for Cesc Fabregas as he maybe thought it would be back in Catalonia. The midfield maestro picked up no fewer than five trophies last season, including a winner's medal from Euro 2012, but it looks like he is growing agitated at the Nou Camp.

Despite starting all three of Barcelona's league games this season, the Spaniard has been hauled off by boss Tito Vilanova every game and has now hit out at his new gaffer, saying that he is at the club to learn and enjoy his football, rather than “sit racking my brains”.

And it looks as though his fears will only worsen, as he has to contend with the likes of Andres Iniesta, Xavi, Sergio Busquets and Alex Song for a spot in the heart of midfield.

Fabregas' grumblings will no doubt put Europe's biggest clubs on alert, but where could he go if he leaves Barcelona? Here are our most likely destinations...

Club: Arsenal
Reasons in favour of a move
Cesc Fabregas has stated a number of times that if he left Barcelona, he could not see himself playing anywhere else other than Arsenal, such is his love for the club.
The Gunners are believed to have inserted a clause into last summer's transfer which allows them first refusal on the Spaniard should he leave the Nou Camp and if his recent comments are to be valued, then an emotional return could be on the cards.
The midfielder owes Arsenal a great debt in developing him into the player he is today and a reunion with Arsene Wenger, paired with the chance to ply his trade alongside compatriot Santi Cazorla, may be enough to convince Fabregas that his future remains in north London.

Reasons against a move
It would be a remarkable u-turn for Fabregas to return to the Emirates and may look like he doesn't have the stomach to battle for his spot at Barcelona. He has always maintained that he wants to play with the best players in the world and he arguably wouldn't find a better set of footballers than at the Nou Camp.
Arsenal do not have a reputation for big spending and, given chairman Peter Hill-Wood's comments that the club cannot compete financially with the biggest clubs in the transfer market, it doesn't seem likely that they will match the ?30 million Fabregas moved for last year. However, if the Gunners were to break their transfer record for anyone, you'd think it would be for their prodigal son.

Club: Real Madrid
Reasons in favour of a move
Real Madrid are a club on everyone's lips when talk of a big transfer spreads. It is therefore no surprise that the Spanish giants were one of the clubs monitoring Fabregas when it emerged he was seeking a move last summer.
While a deal always seemed far-fetched given his allegiances to Barcelona, it would be foolish to write them off should he become available again.
Real boss Jose Mourinho is known to be a fan of Fabregas and the chance to create a mouth-watering midfield of Xabi Alonso, Cesc Fabregas and Luka Modric may be too much to resist for the Special One.

Reasons against a move
A switch to Real Madrid would represent the biggest move between the two clubs since Luis Figo joined Los Blancos for a mammoth ?40 million back in 2000 and should Fabregas decide to switch allegiances he would go from folk hero to instant villain with the Barcelona faithful. Fabregas comes across as one of football's honourable players and if he moved to Real you'd bet he would get more than a pig's head thrown at him from opposing fans. This would be the biggest transfer shock of all-time.

Club: Paris Saint-Germain

Reasons for a move
Money is no option for PSG, as they've clearly shown this summer by spending a whopping ?191 million on bringing new talent to Ligue 1.
The Qatari-backed Parisians have recruited the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva and Ezequiel Lavezzi, and should they once again fail to capture the league title, they will undoubtedly spend big again next summer.
One thing is for certain though, should a talent like Fabregas become available, they will head the queue for his signature with a blank cheque and a big smile.
They have already been linked with Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo, so a move for Fabregas would not be the biggest surprise in the world.

Reasons against a move
While Ligue 1 is slowly attracting some of football's biggest names, it is still nowhere near the likes of the Premier League and La Liga in terms of competition. A move to France would reap massive financial reward for Fabregas, but wouldn't necessarily help him develop as a player.

Club: Manchester City
Reasons for a move
Much like PSG, Manchester City can spend big when they need to. Despite not breaking the bank this summer, everyone is aware of their financial might and should Cesc Fabregas become available they would almost certainly be in the running.
Fabregas is familiar with the rigours of the Premier League and he knows that his style of football is adaptable to England having enjoyed eight years with Arsenal.
The prospect of the diminutive midfielder linking up with David Silva and Sergio Aguero is mind-blowing and, given Manchester City's dependence on the pair for their creative play, there is no doubt that Fabregas would be able to add another edge to an already impressive side.
Fabregas has made it clear that he wants to play and win trophies in the best leagues in the world and Manchester City's first league title in 42 years has announced them as a genuine force.

Reasons against a move
Despite admitting in his final season at Arsenal that he had lost the motivation to play at the highest level, Cesc Fabregas remains a fiercely loyal player. Despite reportedly having the offer to join Real Madrid and Manchester City last summer, he only left Arsenal in order to return to his hometown club, and it would pain him to join any other Premier League side.

The verdict
Should Fabregas decide that enough is enough at Barcelona, then Arsenal represent the only real alternative, such is his apparent love for the club. It is a club he knows very well, and he is safe in the knowledge that in Arsene Wenger, he has a manager who knows how to get the best out of him.

Could Cesc Fabregas really leave Barcelona, or will he decide to stay and fight for his place? Leave a comment and have your say...