Bharath Rammr
Manchester United are linked with a stunning move for Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas in the summer (Chelsea fans won’t like this at all). Manager Jose Mourinho has reportedly identified with the Spaniard as a player who can replace Michael Carrick in the long-term. Fabregas was brought back to England by Jose Mourinho. Even though Fabregas was not a huge fan of Mourinho and his coaching methods, he appears to have fallen for the meticulous preparation and the knack of winning trophies. Fabregas has said on numerous occasions that the presence of Mourinho was a crucial factor in coming to Stamford Bridge.
Mourinho is no longer the Chelsea manager and it comes as a major reason behind the transfer rumours surrounding the midfielder. However, the biggest aspect continues to be the lack of first-team opportunities for the former Barcelona and Arsenal midfielder. Despite having contributed immensely even while coming on from the bench, Fabregas has not secured a regular first-team spot since the club moved from a 4-3-3 formation into a 3-4-3 formation since September.
However, United will face competition from AC Milan, who are set to complete a much-awaited ownership change, which will see a huge amount of transfer money put into the club by the new Chinese owners. Milan are increasingly confident of signing Fabregas in the summer. The Spaniard made his 300th Premier League appearance during the weekend. Despite coming up against an inform opposition like Swansea, Chelsea managed to make light weight of their opponents after a 3-1 win. It was a victory largely inspired by the brilliance of Fabregas, who scored a goal and set up one more.
Michael Carrick is coming towards the end of his career with plenty of speculation as to whether he will renew the contract, which expires in the summer. At 35 years of age, he clearly does not a long time left in the game. However, his contribution to the United first team this season has been quite immense. Not many expected Carrick to play such an influential role, especially after the club signed Paul Pogba from Juventus for a huge £89 million. Clearly, the importance played by a playmaker in Jose Mourinho’s style of play cannot be underestimated.
Fabregas was a major factor in Jose Mourinho lifting his last Premier League title in the 2014-15 season with Chelsea. He formed a spectacular partnership with Diego Costa. Even though the Spaniard has not been linked with Manchester United, it is easy to see Fabregas linking up with Zlatan Ibrahimovic in a similar manner or even with better results. Fabregas was signed by Chelsea in the summer of 2014 for around £ 30 million and he is one of the highest earners at around £ 220,000 per week.
