(Credit: Manh Tung, Breaking Media, Imago)

Pete O'Rourke, Transfer Correspondent

Fri 24 April 2026 14:29, UK

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Cesc Fabregas has emerged as a leading candidate for Chelsea as they seek to replace Liam Rosenior ahead of the summer, sources have told Football Insider.

Rosenior was dismissed by the Blues in the wake of a 3-0 defeat against Brighton which meant they had suffered defeats in five straight Premier League games.

Callum McFarlane has taken on the role as interim manager until the end of the season, when the Blues hope to bring in their next permanent boss quickly.

As I revealed on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Transfer Insider podcast, Chelsea have been impressed by the work Fabregas has done as manager of Como.

That, alongside his links to Stamford Bridge after playing there between 2014 and 2019 have led to suggestions he could be set to become Chelsea’s next manager.

Could Cesc Fabregas be the next Chelsea manager?

Football Insider exclusively revealed on 22 April that Chelsea were looking at Fabregas as a potential replacement for Rosenior, even before he was sacked.

There is a belief that hiring a former player, especially one of his stature, could get the players on side after the former boss struggled to make connections.

Meanwhile, the Spaniard has proven his credentials in management at Como and is very highly regarded by a number of clubs tracking his progress.

Speaking on the Transfer Insider podcast, I explained: “Cesc Fabregas, who we’ve previously spoken about, obviously doing a great job at Como.

“The Chelsea board have been impressed by the job he has done over in Italy. Again, he would tick a lot of boxes for Chelsea.

“He’s one of the most highly rated young head coaches out there and obviously has links to the club as well during his time at Chelsea as a player.

“There will be a number of candidates that the club are going to look at and evaluate, because they need to get this managerial decision right.

“They can’t keep chopping and changing managers because it’ll just mean they keep falling behind their big rivals.”

Who else is on Chelsea’s managerial shortlist?

Fabregas is far from the only manager in line for the Chelsea job, with a number of high-profile candidates being considered to take over.

The interim appointment of McFarlane is designed to give the Blues time to make a decision, with the likes of Andoni Iraola and Felipe Luis on their radar.

Meanwhile, Football Insider reported on 22 April that Andoni Iraola emerged as the favourite for Chelsea in the immediate aftermath of Rosenior’s departure.

The Spaniard confirmed he will be leaving Bournemouth when his contract runs out at the end of the season, placing a number of clubs on alert.

His work at the Vitality Stadium has inspired a lot of high-profile interest in his signature, with clubs across Europe joining the race to tempt him back into management.