Cesc Fàbregas has stepped in to correct a viral social media post after former AIGP Asan Kasingye attributed a comparison between Bukayo Saka and Cole Palmer to the former Arsenal and Barcelona star.
Kasingye shared the post on X, formerly known as Twitter, claiming Fàbregas had weighed in on the two England internationals and suggested a significant difference between their standing among Premier League clubs.
Cesc Fabregas: “I assure you that Palmer cannot get a starting spot at any EPL top 6 except maybe Manchester united and Tottenham. Saka walks in every team on the Universe. For me this debate is irrelevant" Yes sir. Debate closed! pic.twitter.com/K08tbkhSmy
— AIGP(Rtd) Asan Kasingye (@AKasingye) October 12, 2024
According to the post, Fàbregas had supposedly said Palmer could only secure a starting place at clubs such as Manchester United or Tottenham, while Saka would walk into any team “in the universe.”
Kasingye ended the post with: “Yes sir. Debate closed!”
The claim quickly drew attention online, with football fans engaging in the familiar debate over which of the two young English stars is the stronger player.
But there was one problem: Fàbregas said he never made the comparison.
The former midfielder directly quoted Kasingye’s post and addressed the situation himself.
“The danger of social media is people really believe anything they read. No need to compare players, England are lucky to have two amazing talents, just enjoy them!”
Fàbregas’ response effectively removed himself from the Saka-versus-Palmer debate while making clear that the statement attributed to him was not something he had said.
The correction also shifted the conversation away from ranking the two players and toward appreciating both talents.
The danger of social media is people really believe anything they read.
— Cesc Fàbregas Soler (@cesc4official) October 13, 2024
No need to compare players, England are lucky to have 2 amazing talents, just enjoy them!#Fake! https://t.co/jbMDYYHqmu
Saka has established himself as one of Arsenal’s leading players, while Palmer has emerged as a major attacking talent at Chelsea. Both are also part of England’s generation of highly rated young footballers.
Rather than choosing between them, however, Fàbregas made his position clear: there is no need to turn their careers into a competition based on a quote he never gave.
The episode also provided another reminder of how quickly an unattributed or misattributed quote can travel on social media — especially when it involves two of England’s biggest young football names.
This time, the person at the centre of the supposed debate was able to set the record straight himself.