And so the summer transfer window takes another twist as rumours emerge that Fabregas could potentially re-join Arsenal.

He couldn’t, could he?

After taking umbrage with Conte over benching him for the FA Cup final, it seems that Fabregas is ready and willing to leave Chelsea. Leaving aside the natural cynicism that comes with such a rumour, the prospect of Fabregas returning to Arsenal is an intriguing one.

At the age of 30, Fabregas was reportedly no longer in Antonio Conte’s plans, then he was, now it’s all dependent on the offer they get.

Although he was used sparingly last season, the Spanish pass master accumulated a very impressive 12 assists from 13 Premier League starts. Alongside those assists, Fabregas returned a reasonable five goals. In light of these numbers, it seems rather strange that Conte would be happy to move the midfielder on.

Fabregas was once the apple of Arsene Wenger’s eye.

At a young age, he left his boyhood club and joined the Gunners. It was not long before he became an ever present in the team. His passing and quick thinking was enough for Wenger to shape the team around him.

Unfortunately, the love that Arsenal fans held for the Spaniard was only a fleeting affair, a summer fling perhaps as Cesc decided he’d had enough of his holiday romance and wished to return home.

Arsenal fans begrudgingly accepted their fate and allowed the little Spaniard to depart on good terms. No longer lovers but if he was ever in town, they’d meet for a drink. Yet that plan was quickly curtailed when Cesc donned the blue of Chelsea a few years later.

Feeling spurned, Arsenal quickly became contemptuous. His betrayal cut deep and yet now that he’s back on the market there are still a number of fans who would welcome him back.

Should we?

At a glance, Arsenal do not need Cesc Fabregas.

Granit Xhaka is an excellent passer of the ball. He has an arsenal of chips, lay-offs, slide-rule passes, lobs and cross-field sweeps. Fabregas has many of the same attributes. Whilst it would be delicious to see Fabregas and Xhaka playing in tandem, is it possible?

Have you ever seen a NFL team take to the gridiron with two quarterbacks?

The prospect of a Xhaka-Fabregas axis would be enough to make anyone salivate. But the reality may be far less pretty.

The criticism that has been levelled at Xhaka this season, although disproportionate, is fair. He simply cannot tackle. He does attempt to cut off danger at the source but the nature of his game means that he often too deep to help the team press opponents.

Although he is 24, the Swiss midfielder is incredibly immobile with little in the way of natural pace or stamina. Comparatively, Fabregas’ fitness has long been questioned. He is a natural footballer but is he a natural athlete?

Whilst one may argue that a way to combat the foibles of two immobile midfielders is for Arsenal to keep possession, in doing so, one risks being labelled a dunce. Wenger in the past has attempted to replicate the possession-based football of Barcelona. Unfortunately, Arsenal simply did not have the calibre of player to succeed in doing so.

The introduction of Fabregas would certainly aid Arsenal in possession; his range of passing would add a synchronicity that would not only be beautiful but would severely please my OCD tendencies. However, there is not enough variety on the pitch to assist Arsenal in breaking down an opponent.

You can have the best quarterback in the league, in fact you could have the two best quarterbacks in the league – but if they have no one to throw it to then you’re up a creek with not much of a paddle.

One aspect that could tempt Arsenal into an audacious bid would be the Spaniard’s cynical nature. It seems absurd but it is hard not to conclude that the Spanish are the most cynical footballing nation in the world.

One need only look at Sergio Ramos’ vindictive playacting in the Champions League final to understand what I mean.

A closer look at these shores and it could be argued that Ander Herrerra is the master of the professional foul. A man who has a self-proposed vocation in life to destroy the beautiful game. The Ramsey Bolton of Premier League football.

If that is the case, then Fabregas is akin to Petyr Baelish – less vulgar but still hugely contemptuous. His love of a late tackle, a cynical tug of the shirt or a sneaky word in the referee’s ear speaks of a player who has learnt his trade at Barcelona. For all the beautiful components of his play, it may well be his sheer bastarie that would prove most welcome.

It could of course be argued that Fabregas brings more to Chelsea’s game than Xhaka does to Arsenal’s, with the Swiss man failing to contribute significantly to the assists and goals tally respectively. Perhaps a deeper Granit Xhaka with a more advanced Fabregas could pummel teams into submission through their constant knocking on the door. Although if that were to happen, Arsenal would probably require a more mobile and clinical striker – someone who plays on the shoulder of the last defender.

But how viable or, even, advisable is it for Arsenal to chase a 30 year old centre midfielder?

It’s true that the Premier League is a lot more suffocating than many other leagues.

The kick and rush style of football is promoted as the most entertaining league in the world.

Can a 30 year old, who was never overly mobile in the first place, really continue to perform at such a high level? My suspicion is that he could.

My doubt only arises when I think of the other great passers who never relied on stamina and strength, which brings me to this rather confusing crossroads of my argument.

Antonio Conte managed Andrea Pirlo at Juventus for several seasons and was able to build a team around the 30-something year old. Whilst it could be argued that Pirlo was a superior passer of the ball than Fabregas, it seems strange to believe that Conte doesn’t believe he could do something comparable with a similarly wonderful passer in Fabregas.

Is there room in the Premier League for a quarterback styled centre midfielder?

Can a team afford to carry a player who regularly clocks less in distance covered than those around him? There is, of course, a reason it’s called the engine room.

It’s hard to fathom Fabregas playing for Arsenal again.

My friends tell me I don’t need him – you already have a man.

My head tells me that it would be a bad idea – he’s too old for you.

Heck, even my heart is telling me it’s ridiculous – he’s not good enough for you.

But rather predictably, my loins still long for Fabregas in an Arsenal shirt.

Damn it loins, you always get me in trouble…