Key Takeaways
- Como sporting director Carlalberto Ludi insists Cesc Fabregas will remain at the club despite interest from English sides.
- The former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder has guided Como to fifth place in Serie A with four matches remaining.
- Fabregas maintains his only focus is securing European football for the Italian outfit for the first time in their history.
Carlalberto Ludi, sporting director of Como 1907, has strongly denied rumours that head coach Cesc Fabregas will leave for the Premier League. The former Spain international has caught the eye of both Arsenal and Chelsea after a strong start to his time as a manager in Italy.
Fabregas is nearing the end of his second full season in charge of the Italian club. Last year, he led Como to tenth place after they moved up to Serie A. This season, the team holds fifth position. They are three points behind the Champions League places with only four games left to play.
The 38-year-old’s quick success has drawn interest from his old clubs. Chelsea need a new manager after Liam Rosenior left, while reports say Arsenal see Fabregas as a future replacement for Mikel Arteta. Sky Sports reporter Kavek Solhekol said on the Transfer Talk podcast that the Gunners hope the ex-midfielder will one day take the manager’s job at the Emirates Stadium.
However, Ludi believes the Spanish coach will stay at Como. Speaking on Wednesday, he said: “We are calm. We are looking at the next games. We work very well with Cesc, and though we cannot know the future, I am sure we will stay together.”
Still, Como president Mirwan Suwarso has said the club cannot stop Fabregas if he wants to go. “Of course, you want your staff to stay with you for a long time,” Suwarso told City AM. “But we do not own him. If he wants to go to Chelsea and that makes him happy, that is his choice.”
Fabregas himself says he is only thinking about getting Como into European competition. “I would be crazy to think about anything else except these last games and taking this team into Europe for the first time ever,” he said. “I have not heard what the president said, other than that he values me highly.”