Football’s prodigal sons: Players who left young, only to return for big bucks, with Arsenal & Chelsea signings

Cesc Fabregas – Left Barcelona in 2003, returned in 2011

Probably the most high-profile ‘prodigal son’ on this list, Arsene Wenger snapped up Fabregas when he was just 16-years-old way back in 2003. He made his debut that very year, and was a first-team regular from 2004 onwards. Eight years later, after two or three summers of protracted rumourmongering, Barcelona shelled out a whopping £35m to bring back the exceptional midfielder.