"The club knows best what Barcelona need. However, the possible arrival of Fabregas would hinder the progress of youngsters such as Thiago and Jonathan Dos Santos,"
"If Barcelona sign Cesc, this will obviously make it more complicated for the youngsters at the club to break into the first team."
Thiago's dad said this 2 years ago. The club was thinking in the short-term then, and what is happening now is the fallout. Still, hindsight is 20/20. Not every kid with potential (not even the ones with massive potential like Bojan) makes it, and Cesc was a safer bet.