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What's the story?
LaLiga club Atletico Madrid are reportedly set to bring Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas back to Spain in the January transfer window.
In case you didn't know...
Since the arrival of new manager Maurizio Sarri, Fabregas has been subjected to lesser game time, with the midfielder making only four appearances for the club in all competitions so far this season.
The London club also boasts of a spectacular midfield line-up with the likes of N'golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic, Jorginho, Ross Barkley and Ruben Loftus-Cheek all looking for a place in the starting eleven.
The heart of the matter
According to a report in The Mirror, La Liga title contenders Atletico Madrid are keen on signing Cesc Fabregas soon, making him the number one target for their transfer exploits in the January window.
The former Arsenal man's contract is set to expire in the summer of 2019, making it possible for him to leave Chelsea as a free agent at the end of the season.
Chelsea are yet to initiate talks over the midfielder's long-term future at the club and a potential contract extension.
Last week, Fabregas revealed that he has been happy with things at the club saying, "I wish he [Sarri] came a bit earlier, to be honest, it’s a little bit late now in my career. Definitely, I’m very happy with him."
"I’d love to stay at the club. I’ve been very happy for the last four years and a half, we’ve had great success, won many things."
"I feel I still have a lot of football left in me but it is now up to the club."
Rumour rating/probability 5/10
Mirror isn't the most reliable English source and there is a good chance Fabregas will still be in London next summer. However, Fabregas will not be too happy with a bench role for long and will look for more minutes on the pitch. A return to his home country would be an icing on the cake.
While the Spaniard is far from the typical Atletico Madrid player, Diego Simeone would definitely not mind having a quality player like Fabregas in his squad.
What's next?
Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone has been a long-term fan of Fabregas and given that there are no signs of a contract extension, the midfielder's move shouldn't be written off just yet.
