Fabregas, who takes on Reading tomorrow night, was asked to compare the Premier League with the Spanish League and his response will earn him a noisy reception at West Ham and Bolton.

"Without doubt there is more quality in Spain," said the Spain international before the Hammers 5-0 demolition of Derby. "If I am watching a West Ham-Bolton game, it almost sends me to sleep. With Barcelona-Betis, I'm mesmerised by the quality of the players."

However, Cesc also told AS : "But the truth is that the longer I'm here, the more I like it. I love the city, the club, the people. Every day I get to know more people, I feel closer to the fans and to the team.

"To tell the truth, I feel I will stay here for a long time, even for my whole career. I don't know which league is better as I haven't had the opportunity to play in Spain.

"But I feel closer to the Premier League because it's very passionate, fast, direct and vibrant and it's the football that I like. Sometimes I watch Spanish league games and they don't do anything for me.

"But other times you watch them and you end up saying: 'Henry, he's a star! Iniesta, he's a star! Xavi, he's a star!'

"But the English league offers something which is difficult to replicate anywhere else."