Wenger: Fabregas Chose Chelsea  (Sky Sports)

Arsene Wenger says it was Cesc Fabregas' choice to join Chelsea over Arsenal and that the deal was done as long ago as "early 2014".

The Spanish midfielder made 305 appearances for the Gunners and remains their youngest-ever first-team player but moved to Stamford Bridge from Barcelona in the summer for a £30m fee.

Arsenal had first option to re-sign Fabregas under the terms of his initial sale but they did not exercise that right, paving the way for what some supporters felt was a controversial move to their London rivals.

But Wenger said the presence of German playmaker Mesut Ozil, and other attacking players in his squad, was the reason he decided against making a bid for Fabregas.

"When he left, we bought Ozil to buy an offensive player and we already had Santi Cazorla, Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who are all offensive players," he said.

"We were not in need of offensive players and it makes sense if you look at the balance of the team. I personally believe that deal was done a long time ago, in early 2014 and that all the speculation after that was just made up."

When asked what made Wenger feel the deal had been done a long time before it was announced, he said: "My instinct."

Fabregas will line up against his former team as a Chelsea player for the first time when Arsenal travel to Stamford Bridge on Sunday, a game that also pits Wenger against Jose Mourinho.

The Frenchman has never won a match against a side managed by Mourinho and relations between the two hit a low point last season when Mourinho described the Arsenal boss as a ‘specialist in failure’.

Wenger played down the public animosity between the duo but admits last season’s 6-0 loss at Stamford Bridge is one he will never forget.

"I have enough experience to give importance to things that are important," he said. "One of the benefits of age is that you have less of an ego.

"You offer your knowledge to what is more important and that is the performance of the team.

"I work for the team that I love and I want them to be happy after the game and I want the fans to be happy after the game; that is nothing to do with confrontation, it is to do with togetherness and work rate.

"It was a horrendous day and we will never forget it. We have an opportunity to put that right and we have a big hunger to put that right on Sunday. I’m confident that we’ll take that chance."