4. Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona)
Barcelona-born Fabregas did the unthinkable in 2003, ditching his boyhood club to join Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal. But he became increasingly important to the north Londoners, making his debut aged 16 in 2003 and later being handed the club captaincy in 2009.
The chance to re-join Barcelona two years later was too good to turn down, but ultimately too good to be true: after three relatively unhappy years back home he returned to the Premier League with Chelsea in 2014. Monaco is his current destination.
3. Samuel Eto’o (Real Madrid)
Eto’o won three La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues at Barcelona, but his career began on the other side of the Clasico divide. The Cameroonian, who played just three times for Real Madrd in La Liga, spent time on loan at Leganes, Espanyol and Mallorca before joining the latter permanently in 2000.
Barça brought Eto’o to Catalonia four years later for €24m, and he went on to become a key player under both Frank Rijkaard and Pep Guardiola, with two Champions League and three La Liga triumphs to his name.
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