Cesc Fabregas tipped to become Arsenal manager as he draws comparisons to ‘second father’

Como president Mirwan Suwarso has claimed Cesc Fabregas is capable of managing Arsenal one day – but he must first find his successor.

Former Gunners midfielder Fabregas is thriving on the touchline in Serie A, with his side fourth in the table after a 2-1 win over Roma.

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The 38-year-old is currently in his first job as a senior manager, having taken over Como on an interim basis in November 2023.

Fabregas helped mastermind the club’s return to the top flight of Italian football for the first time in 21 years as an assistant while obtaining the necessary UEFA coaching badges.

The former Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea midfielder – also a part-owner at Como – then took the manager job permanently in 2024.

I Lariani finished tenth in their first season back in Serie A, and have since gone from strength to strength in Fabregas’ second full season.

Como currently occupies a Champions League spot after 29 matches, having done the double over the 36-time champions this campaign.

Fabregas told he’s good enough to manage Arsenal

Club president Suwarso now admitted to Revista Undici that his manager’s talents could see him end up at a former club one day.

“Fabregas is really very important for us, but we would be stupid not to think that one day he could go to Arsenal, Barcelona or Chelsea,” he said.

“If he continues to win with us or in any case to be successful, even if I cannot speak for him, I believe he could have bigger dreams.

“Having said that, I hope that as long as he is here he will help us create a success plan also for those who will have to replace him.

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“For me, when he leaves, if he ever leaves, he should be the one to choose who will take his place. He should be involved in the choice.

“Being a member of the Board of Football, he will have to help us appoint the next coach.”

Fabregas’ impressive stint at Como hasn’t gone unnoticed around Europe, having been heavily linked to Bayer Leverkusen last summer.

He was also on Leicester’s shortlist following the Foxes’ relegation last April, with Inter Milan among his more recent suitors as well.

European football expert Andy Brassell told talkSPORT.com: “When I think of what Cesc Fabregas is doing at Como, you can’t help think of Arsene Wenger, really, because he’s got a very particular role in the club and a very particular role in the way that the club and the team are developing and establishing itself in Serie A.

“Cesc is someone who clearly has a very deep understanding of the game, clearly connects very well with all his players.”

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Arsene Wenger comparison

“What they’ve done so sensibly is getting a load of young players that he can shape and that he can get through to,” Brassell added.

“I think in terms of their energy, their versatility, their ability to grow and their ability to get better players than they would do otherwise, given their historical size or lack of it, it’s a really good policy.

“Fabregas has got a part in that, and he’s got, when I was making the Arsene Wenger comparison, not like for like in every sense, but in the sense that he’s fully invested and financially invested in the club as a part shareholder as well.

“It makes him closer to an old-fashioned manager than just a head coach, a little bit like Arsene Wenger, as we were talking about before.

“You go back to last summer, and Leverkusen wanted him, Leipzig wanted him, Inter wanted him.

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“If you take away what we know about Como and their current financial situation, I’d have said to you three years ago that the manager of Como, let’s say the unnamed manager of Como, is of interest to Leverkusen, Leipzig and Inter. You’re thinking, ‘Well, he’s off to one of them, isn’t he?’

“They’re able to build and hold on to because he’s fully invested in the project, just like Wenger was at Arsenal. It’s really interesting.

“They’ve beaten Juventus twice. They’ve gone and got themselves a draw at Milan in the last week or so as well.

“So, they’re brave enough to play their football and try and dominate the game against big, lauded, historically strong opposition as well, which I think says a lot about Fabregas and his personality.”

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Comparisons to Wenger will come as little surprise to Fabregas, who left Barcelona’s La Masia academy to join the Frenchman at Arsenal.

After joining the Gunners in September 2003 as a 16-year-old, Fabregas made his debut just a month later.

Over an eight-year spell, the Spaniard made 303 appearances for Arsenal, scoring 57 goals and registering 95 assists.

The ex-Gunners captain helped Arsenal to FA Cup glory, and was part of the side that reached the Champions League final in 2006.

“Arsene Wenger is like a second father to me,” Fabregas told DAZN Italia.

“Obviously, he worked a lot on transitions, attacking the space, something that is even more important in modern football.

“I learned a lot from him and want my team to do that.”