Cesc Fabregas left 'confused' after Arsene Wenger failed to speak to him in first meeting with Arsenal boss

Cesc Fabregas admits he was left “confused” when Arsene Wenger barely spoke to him during their first meeting.

Having progressed through BarcelonaAt the famous La Masia youth academy, the young midfielder was offered the chance to join the Premier League giants. Arsenal.

At 16, Fabregas knew first-team football was going to be limited at the Nou Camp, but the Gunners' interest piqued his interest due to the clear progression plan that would see him become a senior player in no time.

Wenger was the main man at Highbury and had a keen eye for spotting talented young players, which meant Fabregas was more than excited to meet the iconic manager.

However, when travelling to meet Wenger for the first time, the Spaniard admitted he was initially disappointed.

Talking about Wenger in The rest is footballFabregas said: “He was definitely like a father figure to me.

“The first time we went there with my parents and my sister, he didn’t talk to me much; he talked a lot to my mother.

“I asked him questions about my youth, when I was younger and what I used to do when I lost a match.

“He was very interested in those little details about my behavior, how much I love football.

“I was a bit confused because he was asking me all these questions that had nothing to do with me signing the contract or playing football for Arsenal at the time, but I always thought he was a very special person from day one.

“He would look and take an interest in things that no one else saw. Now, maybe I understand why he asked those questions or what he saw at the time, but when it first happened, I didn’t understand anything at all.”

After joining the Gunners in September 2003, it didn't take long for Fabregas to make his mark, making his debut just a month later and proving his worth as a first-team player in 2004/05.

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Over the next eight years, the Spaniard made 303 appearances for the club, scoring 57 goals and providing 95 assists.

Hailed as one of Wenger's most successful signings, Fabregas said it was the simplicity of life under the Frenchman that made their time together so enjoyable.

“What I liked about working with Arsene was that he wasn't too tactical at all,” Fabregas said.

“He focused on individual or technical skills and always identified players who suited his style and used to make you understand football in a way that was about spaces and timing, not structures or formations.

“It was about identifying when was the right time to come and receive the ball, what your teammate's movement is and where he is so that you can occupy a different space.

“In that sense I was a bit lucky because in Barcelona they taught us this for a long time, but for me to have this continuity in my football education with him was fantastic because I felt that I had entered the right place.”

Fabregas helped Arsenal to FA Cup glory and reached the Champions League final, losing to Barcelona in 2006.

The Spaniard then returned to the Nou Camp for three years, Before playing for ChelseaMonaco and the Italian club Como, where Now he works as a head coach.