Chelsea’s turbulent season is heading toward a decisive final stretch, and with Liam Rosenior’s position increasingly uncertain, the club’s board are reported to have made tentative enquiries about a potential replacement in former player Cesc Fabregas.
Rosenior was brought in from sister club Strasbourg earlier this season following Enzo Maresca’s departure, and while he made a reasonable start, the pressure has since mounted significantly. Chelsea have lost their last four games in all competitions, failed to score in three of them, and were knocked out of the Champions League by holders Paris Saint-Germain. With seven games remaining against the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United, Brighton and Liverpool, they need to close a six-point gap to fourth place just to secure Champions League football next season. Failure to do so is widely expected to cost Rosenior his job.
Beyond the results, Rosenior has attracted criticism from pundits for an apparent lack of authority over senior players and for some ill-judged moments in press conferences that have done little to help his public image.
Fabregas, meanwhile, has been quietly building an impressive managerial reputation at Como in Serie A. The 38-year-old has guided the Italian side to fourth place in just his second full season in charge, with Como boasting the best defensive record in the division, the second highest goal tally, and just five league defeats all season. It is a remarkable achievement for a club that spent years outside the top flight.
His credentials as a player also carry weight in the dressing room. As part of Spain’s golden generation and a Champions League and World Cup winner, Fabregas commands a level of respect among elite players that Rosenior, whose playing career took in the likes of Hull City, Reading and Brighton, simply cannot match. That matters when managing high-profile figures such as World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez.
Fabregas also fits the style of football Chelsea’s ownership wants to play, with his possession-based, progressive approach aligning well with the direction the club has been trying to take.
However, there are significant reasons why Fabregas might think carefully before accepting the role. If Como secure Champions League qualification, walking away would be a difficult decision. More importantly, Chelsea’s track record of managerial instability could be a major deterrent. Since Fabregas began his coaching career at Como, Chelsea have cycled through Bruno Saltor, Frank Lampard, Mauricio Pochettino, Maresca, Calum McFarlane and Rosenior in the dugout. That level of interference from BlueCo ownership is unlikely to appeal to a coach who has been given the freedom to build something sustainable at Como.
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