Fabregas, 29, made over 300 appearances for the Gunners, who make the short trip across London seeking to end Chelsea's 10-match winning run at home.

The midfielder was made captain of Arsenal aged 21 and spent eight years under Arsene Wenger at Highbury and the Emirates Stadium. He rejoined Barcelona in 2011 before returning to England in 2014, signing for Chelsea when Wenger declined to take up an option on his former skipper.

The Spain playmaker insisted there were only fond memories, not bad blood, despite some Arsenal supporters turning on him for his move to Chelsea.

"There's something that will never change," Fabregas told Natacha Tannous, a journalist and partner of former Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack, in an interview on YouTube. "There's many things said about me, about Arsenal. I don't really care what people think about me any more. It's just about what I feel towards them.

"Arsenal will always be the team that believed in me the most. I was a young kid, 16 years old, playing for Barcelona. Arsene Wenger, especially, and Arsenal Football Club, gave me everything. Without them I would not be a World Cup winner, a European Championship winner. And I would not have experienced all of this that I'm doing in my life.

"I will always forever be grateful.''

Fabregas won the 2004-05 FA Cup with Arsenal, as well as picking up a runners-up medal when the Gunners lost to Barca in the 2005-06 Champions League final.