Eden Hazard tips Cesc Fabregas to land Chelsea job in future and backs ex-Blues team-mate to become one of Europe's top coaches

Fabregas has been turning heads with his work in Italy, as he continues to guide Como towards European qualification in Serie A. The club currently sit sixth in the Italian top-flight, and are only four points off fourth and the Champions League qualification spots. He was appointed in July 2024, and has guided Como from Serie B into Italy's top-six, and Hazard, his former team-mate, believes that the ex-midfielder is destined to become one of the best managers in the world, and has also backed him to eventually take over at his former stomping ground in west London.

Chelsea, of course, recently appointed Liam Rosenior after the departure of Enzo Maresca, but Hazard thinks Fabregas will eventually take the reigns, something he is actively rooting for. 

Hazard told Gazzetta dello Sport: "I'll be honest, in the summer we talked a bit. I told him he was one of the best midfielders in history and that he's destined to become one of the best coaches as well," he said.

"I explained to him that the time has come for him to return to Chelsea, and he joked about it, but I really believe it. He loves football and knows everything about this spot.

"I'm a Chelsea fan, and I want the best for the club. That's why I dream of seeing Cesc on their bench, while I'll be staying in the stands behind him, enjoying the show."

Hazard also revealed he had a fine relationship with Maurizio Sarri at Chelsea, as he reflected on his best managers throughout his career.

He added: "That's true, I won a lot with them (Italian coaches Sarri and Carlo Ancelotti). A special relationship had been created between me and Sarri, I think his idea of football is very close to mine. Every now and then, however, I told him that his workouts were boring. It is not a criticism, also because the results prove him right, as well as Conte. Antonio was incredible, he made us do an infinite number of repetitions...”.

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Fabregas is only 38, with plenty of his managerial career still to go, and he insists he is continuing to learn every single day.

He told GOAL last year: "You keep learning," he says of the lessons of the past 12 months. "Day to day, you find out new things and new ways. But definitely it's a process that's going very fast and I'm learning a lot. It's just about pushing yourself to new limits, be very open to learning and listening. It's a new world, you are not a player anymore, it's about learning and analysing in a different context."

Speaking about Chelsea, he added: "They've invested big in young players and now, slowly, they're getting the grip of playing together after making mistakes. I always say that young players need to make mistakes but then be trusted to keep playing, to understand what a team is.

"You can only win what's in front of you, I know they were very superior to the rest of the clubs in the Conference League, but they were there and won. They took it seriously, it was a good season. Now they need to take a higher step next year."

He is also keeping a close eye on Mikel Arteta's Arsenal, adding: "Both of them are doing well. They are probably in different stages. Arsenal after six years [with Mikel Arteta as manager] are trying to build and get into the market, making players from the academy grow. They have a good structure around the team, they had a lot of injuries this year to key players. But hopefully it's coming, what they've been trying to build over the last six years."

Chelsea are next in action against Wolves this weekend. The Blues are currently fifth, one point behind fourth-placed Manchester United, as they continue to bid for Champions League qualification.