Chelsea’s dream next manager has Arsenal ‘plan’
Updated: 1 May 2026 16:30 BST |
4 min read
Chelsea have been told one of their reported managerial targets will reject their advances in favour of holding out for the Arsenal job in the future.
The Blues have been linked with a number of head coaches as they look to appoint a permanent successor to Liam Rosenior, who was sacked earlier this month after just 106 days in charge of the club.
Rosenior, who only succeeded Enzo Maresca in the Stamford Bridge hot seat in January, was dismissed after presiding over a poor run of form which saw the west Londoners lose five Premier League games without scoring.
According to The Athletic, Chelsea are considering outgoing Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola and Fulham manager Marco Silva in their search for a permanent replacement for Rosenior, with Calum McFarlane having been named interim boss until the end of the season.
There have also been tentative links elsewhere with Xabi Alonso, who is a free agent having been sacked by Real Madrid in January, as well as Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann and Porto boss Francesco Farioli.
Another manager who has been linked with the vacant Chelsea post is Cesc Fabregas, who has emerged as one of Europe’s most promising young coaches having led Como to fifth in the Serie A table.
However, according to Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol, Chelsea would likely be rebuffed if they firmed up their interest in Fabregas, with the 38-year-old keen to manage their London rivals Arsenal one day.
Fabregas represented both clubs as a player, having spent eight years at Arsenal between 2003 and 2011 and four-and-a-half-seasons with Chelsea between 2014 and 2019.
In quotes carried by FourFourTwo, Solhekol told Sky Sports’ Transfer Talk podcast: “Cesc Fabregas, what I’ve been told, there’s some kind of suggestion that long-term, the plan for him is to manage Arsenal one day. I’m not sure moving to Chelsea would be part of his career progression.”
While Chelsea continue to weigh up their options as they search for their next permanent manager, the club will be looking to return to winning ways in the Premier League when they entertain in-form Nottingham Forest next Monday (4 May).
Meanwhile, Arsenal – who are competing to win both the Premier League and Champions League under current boss Mikel Arteta – play host to Silva’s Fulham at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
Analysis: Fabregas is winning plenty of plaudits following Como heroics
In just his first managerial post following a trophy-laden playing career with Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea, Fabregas has won plenty of admirers for turning Como into one of Italian football’s strongest teams.
After finishing 10th in Serie A last season, the club have gone from strength to strength this term, with Fabregas’ charges currently sitting fifth and just three points behind fourth-placed Juventus with four games left in the race for Champions League qualification.
Boasting a number of highly-rated youngsters including defender Jacobo Ramon and midfielders Nico Paz and Martin Baturina, Como were also narrowly beaten by Inter Milan in the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia this season.
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