Arsenal legend Cesc Fabregas says that his decision to leave Chelsea was influenced by the arrival of Jorginho in 2018.

Cesc Fabregas initially left Arsenal for Barcelona, a move that most fans understood, given his Spanish roots and the appeal of playing for one of the world’s top clubs.

However, it was his subsequent move to Chelsea, Arsenal‘s direct London rivals, that left many supporters feeling betrayed.

Nevertheless, Arsenal supporters may find a small crumb of comfort in the recent revelations.

In an interview with the BBC while still with Monaco, Fabregas said: “One of the biggest reasons I left Chelsea is because of him [Jorginho]. He’s a very smart player, intelligent, a very good passer of the ball.

Fabregas left Chelsea just six months after Jorginho was signed for €57m from Napoli.

“He makes the team tick,” Fabregas continued. “At Chelsea, he has N’Golo Kante protecting him all the time, and I know that’s a big thing, I don’t know here how he will cope with a big, big game at the Euros.

“He’s a really good player and tactically, he knows what to do because of the coach’s methodology, it helps him a lot.”

In recent weeks, Jorginho has been establishing himself in the Arsenal first team after his move Arsenal from Chelsea.

While his short Arsenal career has seen some lows, such as the error that led to Tottenham’s equaliser in a 2-2 draw, he has generally been viewed as a positive addition to the team and has been picked to start against Manchester City and Chelsea in Arsenal’s last two Premier League games.