Real believed that Fàbregas was unsettled and would contemplate a move away from the Emirates Stadium in the wake of Thierry Henry's 16 million pound transfer to Barcelona. But, in an interview with Marca, the Spanish radio station, the 20-year-old said of his conversation with Ramón Calderón, the Real president, and Pedrag Mijatovic, the sporting director: "I have talked with them and they made a great effort to get me to sign. It was a very difficult decision for me but with Thierry Henry leaving I feel that I can't leave the club that has done so much for me."

Fàbregas has blossomed at the heart of the Arsenal midfield to such an extent that he was the club's player of the year last season and he is relishing taking centre stage after the departure of Henry. "I have a great responsibility this season and I can't wait to get started and start trying to win things," he said. "It made me very excited that a club as big as Madrid were interested in me and that made it a very difficult decision. It's a chance that doesn't come around very often but I am only 20 and I have to keep improving and I want to do that at Arsenal."

Fàbregas also offered encouragement on the future of Wenger, whose contract runs out at the end of next season. Henry had cited the doubt over Wenger's future as a reason behind his own desire to move but Fàbre-gas said: "I have every confidence that the manager will sign a new deal."

Arsenal continued to plan for life after Henry by signing Bacary Sagna from Auxerre yesterday for a fee that is likely to rise to 8 million pounds. The 24-year-old defender signed a five-year contract and identified the prospect of working with Wenger as one of the main attractions of moving to North London.

"Arsène Wenger is an excellent manager with a fantastic record and I am really looking forward to working with him," Sagna said. "We have youth and the fact that no one really rates us means that maybe we can surprise people. The young players want to prove what they can do and I want to prove what I can do."