Cesc Fabregas reveals his frustration over Arsenal's failure to sign Xabi Alonso who 'begged' to join Gunners

Alonso and Fabregas could have been teammates for club as well as country.
AFP via Getty Images
Tony Mogan24 March 2020

Cesc Fabregas has revealed Xabi Alonso spent the summer of 2009 ‘begging’ to join Arsenal from Liverpool, admitting he was frustrated the Gunners failed to make a ‘final push’ for the midfielder.

A year on from winning the World Cup with Spain, Alonso was deemed surplus to requirements at Anfield by Rafa Benitez, who was eager to bring in Gareth Barry to replace him in midfield.

Alonso would eventually join Real Madrid where he won a Champions League and La Liga title, along with two Copa del Reys during five years in the Spanish capital.

But in an in-depth interview with the Arsecast podcast, Fabregas revealed his compatriot was desperate to join him in north London.

“I was with Xabi on the phone the whole summer,” Fabregas said.

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‘He was dying to come. He was literally begging everyone to go to Arsenal, he really wanted to come. ‘And to be honest, I did my best. I spoke to who I had to speak to. I gave my opinion, I thought that he was a fantastic addition for us at that time.

“And yeah I have to say that a couple of times like that I was frustrated by the lack of push, the final push – you know what I mean? That it’s so close, the player is dying to come, it’s so easy to make this deal.”

Fabregas admitted Alonso would text and call him asking for an update as he sought a move down south, surprised a move that appeared to simple to pull off never came to fruition.

‘I am not a director, I see it from a player’s point of view. If it was me, if I wanted to go somewhere like I went to Arsenal, I do my everything to go to Arsenal. ‘And I see that when a player wants to go somewhere, it’s easy.

"Forget contracts. Okay, sometimes it’s more difficult, if you have a long contract or something, but normally it should happen. ‘And yeah, Xabi Alonso was one of them. I mean I was living it day-to-day because he was texting me all the time.

‘I remember the whole holiday I was talking to him, he was texting me: “What’s happening?” And it was a shame, because I think he would have been a great, great, great addition to that team. He was made for Arsenal, I think.’

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