Cesc Fabregas has finally broken his silence and has confirmed that he will remain with Barcelona this season.
The news ends Manchester United's very public pursuit of the midfielder.
"My dream is to play here, I have never considered leaving," he said, according to Mundo Deportivo. "I am at the best club."
"Things were invented," he said about the transfer rumors. "I do not understand how after Tito, Zubi, Tata and Bartomeu all said they counted on me. I have not spoken with any other club for two summers now."
"I have messages from Bartomeu and from the president [Sandro Rosell]," Fabregas added. "I have spoken face-to-face with them and have not had any problem. And neither is it true that I have asked for a new contract...I have always been relaxed. I did not have to clear up anything because in my head I was only going to stay at Barca."
There was much speculation that the midfielder would want to leave due to the limited playing time he was garnering from his current club. He was brought in to be a central midfielder but has wound up being a forward to Lionel Messi. The addition of Neymar will likely put him on the bench for long stretches. However, Fabregas remains optimistic about his chances of becoming a major force on the club.
"What I need to do is play better, because I am at the most demanding and the biggest club in the world," he said.
Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino hinted at the news on Wednesday prior to Fabregas' official announcement.
"[Fabregas] continues to be with us, and he will stay with us this season," Martino said.