Cesc Fabregas has put the finishing touches on his move to Barcelona from Arsenal after signing a five-year contract with the European champions.
Following confirmation on Sunday night that Barça and Arsenal had reached an initial agreement for the £35m transfer of the Spain international, Fabregas undertook a two-stage medical before on Monday morning before the Catalan club confirmed that he had put pen to paper.
The announcement brings to an end the long-running transfer saga and sees Fabregas return to his local club Barça, who he left for Arsenal as a 16-year-old.
The 24-year-old, who has had a €200 million (over £175m) buy-out clause inserted in his contract, was presented to the Barça fans this afternoon at the Nou Camp before speaking to the media.
"For me it's a special day. I'm returning home," Fabregas said. "I know that the Arsenal fans will be disappointed with my exit from the club, but I'm here to face an incredible challenge, the challenge of my life."
Despite his happiness at returning to the club that nurtured him during his early years, Fabregas also praised former manager Arsène Wenger.
"I'll never have enough words to thank him for all he's done for me," he said. "I'll never forget him.
"I don't think he has such a good image here [in Spain], he has been portrayed as something he's not, in my opinion. If today I am here with you then it's greatly due to him.
"I can't express my admiration for him strongly enough, I owe it to him that I am here."
"[Our] relationship is fantastic. On Friday I said goodbye to him and I got very emotional because he's like a father figure to me.
"I couldn't even talk at one stage, when I wanted to say how grateful I was. I got a bit emotional and couldn't talk much.
"I had to send him a message afterwards, saying 'I'll never forget what you've done for me'. If it hadn't been for him I wouldn't be here today, living my dream."
Fabregas said that if Arsenal wanted to maintain their reputation they should stick with Wenger, and admitted that it had been difficult to leave the club without being able to explain himself to its supporters.
"I think if Arsenal wants to keep being the club they are then they have to always be under his control, because he's the best, everyone respects him, and for me, he will always be the best person that I've met in football."
"I'm sorry I couldn't say anything in the last two and a half months, Arsenal wouldn't allow me to talk to anyone, even if I wanted to I couldn't.
"I have time to talk about it and I'm sure I'll do an interview especially for them."
"I'm disappointed and upset about it because I have had a great relationship with the fans over the years. It took time to build this and I'm disappointed I could lose some of them.
"All I have are words of gratitude. I'll never forget what they have done for me, I gave absolutely everything to the club and I think they know that but it was the right time to come back here.
"I'm sorry I didn't say anything to them in the last few months but I couldn't. I was very, very sad to leave, I spent one third of my life there, eight years, so I'm very sad but life goes on."
The end of the longest-running transfer saga in football came to an end at just after midday on Monday when Barcelona posted a comment on their official Twitter feed which read: "Cesc has signed his contract which ties him to Barcelona until 2016. The buy-out clause is 200 million euros."
According to the Barcelona website, Fabregas' medicals proved he was in perfect condition.
Barcelona's first-team doctor Ricard Pruna said: "All the tests taken have been satisfactory."
Pruna added that Fabregas "can be integrated into training without any problem."
While Arsenal were always determined to keep Fabregas, it became clear this summer that the Spaniard - who made more than 300 appearances for the London club, scoring 57 goals - was no longer committed to their cause.
Barcelona saw a £27million offer rebuffed earlier in the summer, as Arsenal remained steadfast in their demands over a £40million fee.
However, with Barcelona not willing to significantly increase their cash bid, and Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admitting the player was unsettled, the Frenchman has reluctantly allowed a deal to go through.
Wenger expressed disappointment at Fabregas' departure: "Yes we lost a world class player and we are sad about it. We did try to keep him but in the end we have to respect the desire of the player as well," he said.
"It is very difficult to get the best out of a player, he has to be completely committed to where he is. If you understand one thing, it is that Cesc didn't go for financial reasons. He wanted to go back to his home city.
"He didn't go because he didn't love the club. He wanted to go to the town where he was educated. It is very difficult to resist that.
"Everybody has his opinion, but you have to make decisions. It was my decision and of course I submitted that to the board and the chairman."
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