Arsenal Transfer Rumours: 5 Reasons Why Gunners Should Not Sell Cesc Fabregas

I'm not sure what year of the Cesc-to-Barca soap opera we are in, but it seems far too long for fans of Arsenal.

Six years without a trophy to speak of is quite a drought by manager Arsene Wenger's standards. Because of these failures, their best player, Cesc Fabregas, is rumored to be leaving the club.

Arsenal have not been shy to sell their best players if the right offer comes along (Emmanuel Adebayor, Thierry Henry, Patrick Viera, the list could be an entire slideshow), and many believe Fabregas could just be another notch on that belt.

Barcelona appear the only team in the running at this point, the same place where Fabregas began his youth academy career at age 10. A move to Catalonia would delight the rulers of the soccer world and adding the 24-year-old to their ranks would make them as formidable as they ever have.

There are countless reasons why selling him would be a big mistake, but for enjoyable reading purposes, I will limit this to five. Cesc Fabregas is an invaluable asset, despite the lack of trophies for the club, and letting him go would be a big mistake.

Here are five reasons why the Gunners should keep a hold of their franchise player.

Last Two Seasons Proved He Is at the Top of His Game

A lot of people believe that Fabregas has been inconsistent over his Arsenal career. Whether it be nagging injures or games in which he fails to make a significant impact, his doubters have had ammunition to brand him as a player who is dispensable.

The last two years have dispelled those idiotic claims.

Anyone who watched a significant portion of Arsenal's games for the last 24 months knows how wonderful of a player he really his. Aside from his impressive statistics (18 goals and 29 assists in 52 league games), his influence and determination has shown how valuable of a squad member he truly is.

His form has been unmatched by any in the Arsenal squad.

This is also most likely the reason why Barcelona is so hot on his trails. He is entering the prime of his career, and there is no doubt he could earn the title of "best midfielder in the world" at some stage. Barca realize how well he is playing and would gladly create a place in their all-world starting lineup for the Spaniard.

There is simply no way to replace a player of his calibre. I know it seems like common sense, but taking a world-class player out of a starting XI is not going to bring a positive outcome.

Arsenal need Fabregas because he has simply been their best player and has played like so over the past two seasons.

Who Would Replace Cesc in the Starting XI?

This could be a one-word slide entitled "nobody," but for the sake of creating a topic for discussion, I will dig a little deeper than the obvious answer.

Replacing a player like Fabregas for a team like Arsenal is impossible. He is so talented the team plays an entirely different game when he is in the lineup to when he is unavailable for selection. There are few elite difference-makers in the game today, but Cesc is definitely one of them.

Arsenal are linked with about half the professional midfielders in the world today, but a lot of them fall under the category of "young talent that has yet to reach full potential but could with a few years of oustanding coaching."

Even if they actually splash the cash on a more high-profile player (Mahamadou Diarra's name has been mentioned), they will not be able to bring everything to the table Cesc has in his time with the Gunners.

A lot of fans believe the answers are in house. Samir Nasri and Jack Wilshire have superstar written all over them and could be a part of a special midfield for the Gunners going forward. However, teams that really want to achieve special things would look at it from the point of how amazing Cesc would fit between those two outsanding players.

No matter what route they go, old or young, Arsenal will not be able to replace Cesc Fabregas with one addition.

Losing the Captain Will Damage the Club's Morale

Because Arsenal have done this thing before (sold a big-time player in his prime even if it meant damaging the squad), the players have to believe that it's a realistic possibility that Cesc will be playing in Barcelona colors next season.

The players that will be left behind will be forced to deal with yet another star walking out the doors of the Emirates for greener pastures. This could linger in the back of their minds going forward and may cause some self-psychology regarding whether or not they can fulfill all their aspirations at the club.

Bringing in big-name players can lift the morale of the squad, especially if they believe they are one or two pieces away from something special. Arsenal ironically does fall under this umbrella, as a world-class player or two could vault them into serious title contention, both in England and abroad.

However, losing your best player when this fits your description could tear the heart out of the team before the season even begins. Arsenal's squad is even more susceptible to this given the youthful nature of some of their players. Losing Fabregas would provide this chaos to the team.

It also probably means another season of playing second fiddle to Manchester United and Chelsea in the committed category.

Not to mention the Premier League standings.

Club's Repuation Will Take a Hit in the Process

Arsenal have proved to be more of a feeder club over the past five years than one that wants to spend money.

Many fans will argue that their consistent perch in the top four merits more respect than that, but the fact remains that this trophiless stretch is a result of an aspect that is missing in the squad. That certain aspect is widely debated, but the point is that teams that are committed to winning go out and spend money to replace such holes, expecting the following season will be filled with trophies and accolades.

Arsene Wenger is constantly charged to unearth the next prodigy, going into the darkest reaches of the Belgian Congo to produce talent that will compete at the top of the Premier League. When he has real talent (see: early part of the decade), you see what type of manager this guy is and the amazing results he has achieved.

If Fabregas leaves the club, the Gunners will be without their best player, and he will be plying his trade with one of the teams they are supposed to be competing with for the best talents in the world.

Arsenal won't be seen as one of the big powers in world football until they show they can keep their best players when they are at such a high level.

Title Drought Will Continue If Cesc Fabregas Leaves

A lot of the reasons for this have been already covered in this slideshow, but this is probably the most important reason why Cesc Fabregas shouldn't be sold to Barcelona.

After capturing the Premier League in 2003-2004, Arsenal have gone without for the past seven seasons. This is unacceptable by standards of modern Arsenal supporters. After witnessing the amazing squads of the late '90s and early '00s dominate the game, fans want to see that same success year in and year out.

Arsene Wenger has remained the boss during this entire process and fans are getting impatient with how many years the club is out of the title race by February. The only way to survive a domestic league for the entire season is to have the best players in the league on your team playing at a high level. Cesc Fabregas is one of these players.

At the end of the day, winning leagues is the most important thing in the sport, and this goal will be severely compromised should their best player leave the team.

Manchester United and Chelsea have a lot of momentum going for them, and the last thing Arsenal fans want to see is the EPL trophy being presented at Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford.

It takes a very long time for a player to come down the pipes and become an important piece to a championship puzzle (look how long he was at the club before he became an elite player).

Losing a player like Fabregas will set the team back a few seasons and see the team extend their Premier League drought for the foreseeable future.