Arsene Wenger Is Right to Ignore Cesc Fabregas Deal

It's official: Arsene Wenger won't pursue a deal to re-sign Cesc Fabregas. It's absolutely the right move by the Arsenal manager.

BBC Sport reporter David Ornstein has stated Wenger won't activate the buy-back option to re-sign his former prodigy from FC Barcelona:

Ornstein has also noted that Wenger has different priorities in this summer's transfer market:

Despite some of the hand-wringing and vitriol attached to Wenger's supposed duty to return Fabregas to North London, Arsenal have no need for the gifted Spaniard.

Why would the club need Fabregas when its own midfield ranks are currently bulging with talented, creative playmakers? In particular, the Gunners boast Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey, two players who combine the very best of Fabregas.

Ozil, despite some lame showings during his debut season in the English Premier League, can certainly match the creative output Fabregas can muster. Meanwhile, Ramsey, a player who always had untapped potential, has finally proved he can be the scoring threat Fabregas is.

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Wedging Fabregas into this Arsenal team would require either moving him out of position or forcing others into uncomfortable roles. In what context and under what rationale are either of those things ever a good idea?

But wait, you can hear it now—the cackle of disappointed voices snarling and bellowing that Fabregas can play different positions. He can play deep, wide or even as a false 9, don't you know.

But ask yourselves this: If Fabregas is so effective as football's equivalent of the chameleon, why are Barcelona content to sell? Yes, they have ample talent in central areas, but why not keep Fabregas in one of the other positions he apparently plays so well?

The answer, of course, is simple. Fabregas, like any other player, is best in the position that most naturally suits him. The reality is that Arsenal are well-stocked with central schemers and wannabe No. 10s.

In truth, Wenger already has too many of that player, a fact Ornstein claims is weighing heavily on the Frenchman's mind:

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Mesut Ozil arrived at Arsenal from Real Madrid last summer for a club-record £42.4m on a five-year contract, while the likes of Aaron Ramsey, Santi Cazorla, Jack Wilshere, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Tomas Rosicky are all part of Wenger's plans.

Arsenal's priority is to bring in a striker to compete with Olivier Giroud and a right-back to replace Bacary Sagna, with goalkeeping cover also needed after the exit of Lukasz Fabianski.

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The Arsenal boss has a hard enough time accommodating the playmakers he already has, so why on earth would he add another? Wenger's real task in midfield is identifying the right combination and balance of the talent he has, not swelling the ranks and creating selection dilemmas in a disjointed squad.

Once he gets those numbers right, Wenger's next step must be finding targets for his clutch of creators to supply. That naturally makes reinforcements at striker a more worthy investment than Fabregas.

Can anyone really argue that a new striker should be Wenger's main focus? If you think you can, then consider this as a rebuttal.

Wenger can choose to spend big at a position where Olivier Giroud is the starter and was backed up last season by Yaya Sanogo and Nicklas Bendtner. Or he can part with the required £30 million, per The Telegraph's Matt Law, to add Fabregas to a group already containing the club's record signing and its player of the season for 2013/14.

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Now be honest, which would you really choose?

Of course, it's not necessarily a straight choice between buying Fabregas or a striker, nor should it be. Arsenal do have other needs, which is exactly the point.

Buying Fabregas won't cover up for deficiencies elsewhere. A faltering title challenge and fourth place lies down that path.

Arsenal need a right-back to replace Bacary Sagna along with a quality deputy goalkeeper to succeed Lukasz Fabianski. The latter's value was underlined by the fact that the Gunners wouldn't have won the FA Cup without him.

But wait, those dissenting voices are back to tell you Arsenal can afford both Fabregas and a high-profile striker. After all, the club has £100 million to spend, per Daily Mail reporter Sami Mokbel.

Maybe so, but does any fan really believe Wenger will ever make two £30 million signings in one summer? Honestly, why would he when the smarter move is to supplement one headline addition with a few reasonably priced solid citizens?

Finally, if the main motivation for re-acquiring Fabregas is to prevent him from signing with an EPL rival, then it's time to start supporting another club, or maybe even follow another sport.

Yes, Arsenal's willingness to stand aside might allow Chelsea to sign Fabregas, as Dominic Fifield and Jamie Jackson of The Guardian have claimed.

Yet on a side note, if Fabregas is the Arsenal loyalist he is portrayed as, he'd never sign for Chelsea, especially Chelsea managed by arch-Wenger antagonist Jose Mourinho.

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But if he does make that move, will Fabregas make the West London club stronger? Of course he will.

But does that automatically mean Arsenal will be left behind? Why on earth would it?

Other title contenders are going to sign big players. That's a fact of life Wenger is powerless to stop.

What he can do is ensure he sticks to his own plan for strengthening Arsenal. That plan has to be based on an honest assessment of where this team's weaknesses are.

Attacking midfield is certainly not one of them, so that has to mean saying no to a Fabregas reunion. 

Wenger's current team is fully stocked with creativity. His task now is to build around it, not load up on more.

Turning his back on Fabregas is absolutely the right move.