Chelsea are stepping up their search for a successor to manager Enzo Maresca at Stamford Bridge, with reports of links with Como manager and former Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas.
Como head coach Cesc Fabregas is also one of the names linked with the vacant managerial job at Stamford Bridge, but the former midfielder’s relationship with Chelsea has not always been straightforward.
The London club parted ways with Enzo Maresca this week, less than 48 hours after a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth in the Premier League. Although sudden, the decision appears to be the result of growing tensions between the Italian player and Chelsea.
Due to the ownership relationship between the two clubs, a number of names have been linked with the role, most notably Strasbourg’s Liam Rosenior. However, Como’s Fabregas is also seen as likely to take over as manager, thanks to his rapid rise through the Serie A club and his existing relationship with Chelsea.
Fabregas came through Barcelona’s youth ranks but joined Arsenal at a very young age. He eventually rose through the ranks in north London, making over 300 appearances in all competitions in the early 2000s.
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He eventually returned to Barcelona, where he spent three years, before returning to the Premier League, this time representing Chelsea. He was hugely successful at Stamford Bridge, winning five trophies in his four seasons there.
Although Fabregas is revered as a club legend, he wasn’t necessarily Chelsea’s biggest fan. Having spent much of his early career at rivals Arsenal, he openly admits that his view of the club has changed significantly since his move in 2014.
He told CBS Sports Kickin’ It last month: “Yes, I hated Chelsea, I always said that and I told all the fans that Chelsea knew.
“I said it was one of the best decisions of my career, because of the way I was treated there, the number of trophies I won, five trophies in four and a half years. The fans were great to me. It was amazing. I couldn’t be more grateful. We felt a great emotional connection right away.”
Since taking charge of Como in 2024, Fabregas has quickly established himself as one of the most promising young managers in the game. He has also expressed on numerous occasions, even before retiring as a player, that he has a desire to one day become a manager in the Premier League.
In an interview with Sky Sports in 2022, when he was still playing for Como, Fabregas said: “As I’ve said ever since I became a coach, the Premier League is my league, it’s where I played my best football, where I had my best years, where people respect me so much.”
“I feel really loved in England and I would love to (manage England) in the future, so why not? 100 per cent (I want to be a Premier League manager). If I can look at a goal in a few years’ time, it’s definitely on my mind.”
He reiterated that stance a few years later, in 2024, just before taking over as Como’s head coach. “You never know what the future holds, but I want to be the main coach,” he said in an interview with the Evening Standard at the time.
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“I’m doing it my way now. My 100 per cent ambition is to one day manage a top club in the Premier League or Champions League.
“But you have to respect the correct procedures. I don’t really want to go into this kind of small coaching or assistantship on the side because I feel I’m already ready to be a first-team coach.
“I have a clear idea in my mind that I want to be the main coach, a first-team coach. So I’m going to work my way up until I’m ready to jump on the big train. But for now, I have a long way to go.
“I’m just getting started. I’m honored by the opportunities Como has given me and I’m very happy here.”
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