Cesc Fabregas
Cesc Fabregas Reuters

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has taken a swipe at Arsenal, by claiming that Cesc Fabregas never considered a move back to the Gunners and was inclined towards the Blues the whole time.

The former Gunners captain made a big money move to Stamford Bridge from the Camp Nou earlier in the summer after it was reported that Arsenal rejected the chance to activate the first buy-back clause in the Spanish midifielder's contract.

However, the Blues boss has already begun mind games with his nemesis Arsene Wenger, by claiming that his former player always had his sights set on a move to west London rather than head back to the Emirates stadium.

"I spoke with him for 20 minutes. I think he really wanted to come to us," Mourinho said, as quoted by talkSPORT.

"As you know, Arsenal had an option where they could interfere, but I think he was not open to that, I think he was very, very much in our direction, so it was an easy job for me."

However, earlier in the summer, after Fabregas signed for Chelsea, he had revealed that he spoke to Wenger about moving to Arsenal, but was told that his position in the team was occupied by Arsenal's record signing Mesut Ozil.

"When I decided that my time at Barcelona had ended, I looked for the best option for me. Arsenal was the first option, for contractual reasons. There was a clause that gave them the right to decide," Fabregas said, as quoted by ESPN.

"We spoke to Wenger and he said that the space was very well filled by Mesut Ozil and it was hard to find a place for both of us in the team," the Spanish international added.