I will never forget that sunny afternoon in mid-June 2014. It was the opening day of the World Cup in Brazil but all Chelsea fans online were fussed about was an image circulating on Twitter.
Although this was still a time when sites like Twitter did not seem to swallow most of the football conversation up, it was slowly gaining more traction and for fans, it still felt like an exciting place to connect with those who loved the things you did. The image was of Cesc Fabregas wearing the new Chelsea shirt, whilst also holding one showing the back with "Fabregas 4" printed in Premier League numbers.
What sparked most suspicions was the low quality of an image, seemingly taken in a hotel room and lacking the extensive airbrushing that transfer announcements have nowadays. But a few hours later, Chelsea had confirmed a deal that would go on to transform the Blues' midfield.
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Maybe the doubt over the picture was purely down to the absurdity of it. Fabregas had been a firm rival as Arsenal's captain, most notably squaring up to Frank Lampard in the 2007 League Cup Final. I distinctly remember a couple of months before he arrived at Stamford Bridge, Fabregas appeared in an ad promoting Beats headphones, underscored by Aloe Blacc's 'The Man', even after he left Arsenal, I remember turning my nose up at it.
But the £30m deal from Barcelona would prove half of the business that would effectively take Jose Mourinho's third-placed Blues to the title in the following season.
There is soo much to say and appreciate about Fabregas from a technical point of view, but also what he meant culturally and emotionally to the supporters who were privileged to watch him between 2014 and 2019. He just made it look easy is my overwhelming feeling when playing through in mind those game-changing passes, switches of play or little flicks to add more spice.
We had been blessed to see some extraordinary talent since Roman Abramovich's takeover in 2003, though Fabregas' type of midfielder felt something new, his control and craft. This was also the perfect antidote to the sadness felt of our greatest ever player, Frank Lampard, departing in the same summer Fabregas arrived.
His connection to Diego Costa was telepathic from the get-go. For a period they became Lennon and McCartney, creating special goals that you would want to replay over and over again. There was also a combative underbelly to Fabregas that only bolstered his reputation amongst fans. The way he interacted with us, got stuck in and was unafraid to confront the opposition.
One of the things that made Fabregas such a gift to the four coaches he worked under at Chelsea was that for some of his limitations in speed and defending, he could play the pass that wins you the game. The ball no one else has seen or, had the bravery to play the one others wouldn't.
You watch the current Chelsea side under Thomas Tuchel and they so desperately lack this freestyle invention. The repetitive, methodical build-up too often starves the Blues of unpredictability, something Fabregas, along with others like Costa and Eden Hazard consistently offered.
Then you move to the chant that accompanied one of the club's greatest ever signings. Born in the pubs around The Emirates in April 2015 before Chelsea's game against Arsenal which moved the Blues closer to the title and infuriated Gunners, "Fabregas is Magic" became a song that would be added to the hymn sheet, reprised for years to come.
One moment that best summarised how quickly the Spaniard had become a fan favourite was in the home game against Liverpool a couple of weeks later after Chelsea had secured the league. It was in the second half of what felt like a mostly timid end of season affair.
As Fabregas trekked over the corner flag of the Matthew Harding Stand to take a corner, that section of the stand soon started bellowing out his chant. Due to a stoppage in play which delayed the corner, the chant continued, getting louder and louder until Fabregas turned round and happily acknowledged those singing.
Admittedly, the love for Fabregas is injected with humour over the reality of taking a former Arsenal player and him winning the titles he never did at The Emirates, becoming more beloved when some of his best performances in Blues came against the North London club. Setting up a Costa goal and outshining Mesut Ozil in the first reunion with Arsenal in October 2014. Then compounding the humiliation in February 2017 in a 3-1 win, pouncing on a Petr Cech mistake to lob the keeper and score.
But even with rivalry involved, the overwhelming sense of love for Fabregas' presence was reflected in his final game in January 2019. After becoming a mere rotational figure behind the recently signed Jorginho, Fabregas captained the side against Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup third round. With news of his exit to Monaco already out, the crowd serenaded him with support at full-time as he circled the pitch, saluting the four stands.
As much as we loved watching him, the tears from Fabregas signalled how much he loved playing for Chelsea and what would be missed. It speaks to how much he achieved during his time at the club that his creativity is something fans long for in the current team, hoping it can be revived by a new signing.
Even if that lack of invention may be true, finding a Fabregas replacement feels like a very steep task, one that is near impossible given the time of his career Chelsea got him, his ability to seamlessly slot into a midfield with an equally perfect Nemanja Matic. And also cultivate a connection with another transformative figure in Costa.
Happy 35th birthday to Cesc Fabregas, one of my favourite players to ever wear a Chelsea shirt.
