Former Liverpool star John Barnes has urged Chelsea to pursue Como head coach Cesc Fabregas as the successor to Enzo Maresca, rather than Liam Rosenior of Strasbourg. Chelsea parted ways with Maresca this week following a disappointing 2-2 draw against Bournemouth, which capped months of tension between the Italian and the club's hierarchy.
Strasbourg's Rosenior, who is also employed by the BlueCo consortium that owns Chelsea, has been linked with the vacancy. However, Barnes believes the 41-year-old is not ready for a job of Chelsea's magnitude, saying: 'It's going to be very difficult for him to come into a club like Chelsea, even though he'll likely accept the status quo and not have much power. That's not a good thing for a young manager.'
Instead, Barnes identified Fabregas as the ideal candidate, citing his history with Chelsea and his impressive work at Como. 'Despite the fact he's a young manager, he has a history with Chelsea – which is very important. The fans loved him and he's done very well at Como, so I think he would be the right fit,' Barnes told Covers. He added that no big-name manager wanting more control would take the chance at Stamford Bridge, making Fabregas a logical choice.
Fabregas made nearly 200 appearances for Chelsea during his playing career. After retiring in 2023, he began coaching with Como's academy, later leading the first team on an interim basis in November 2023. He was formally appointed head coach in July 2024 after obtaining his UEFA Pro licence, signing a four-year deal and establishing himself as one of the most promising young managers in the game.
