Como boss Cesc Fabregas reveals Premier League return plan amid Chelsea job links

Having conquered English football as one of the finest midfielders of his generation, Fabregas is now making waves in the dugout. The Spaniard has transformed Como from Serie B strugglers to European contenders in Serie A, but he remains open about his desire to eventually return to the top flight of English football.

"The Premier League is the best league in the world," Fabregas told Telegraph Sport. "I’ve always been very, very clear about it. I felt it as a player, I feel it as a coach, as a fan. But [Jose] Mourinho told me one day when I was at Chelsea: ‘I still have 30 years to work.’ So I could be here [Como] for 10 years, and you can still go to the Premier League in 12, 15 years.

"Football is so unpredictable, it changes in one second. One day, you are the best. The day after, you are the worst. So let’s enjoy the moment. I like to enjoy the moment. It’s beautiful what we are living here. Let’s see what the future holds."

The 39-year-old’s coaching philosophy has been shaped by a legendary list of former mentors, including Arsene Wenger and Antonio Conte. While he famously kept a "little black book" of tactical notes during his playing days, Fabregas is now trusting his own instincts as he establishes himself as one of Europe's most promising young managers.

He added: "I started the book when I was at Arsenal. Not when I was 16, but maybe when I was 22 or 23, before going to Barcelona, and then I just kept adding to it during my career. I referred back to it at the beginning [of being a coach] because everything was new. But now, with my experience, every time I’m more confident about what I do. The biggest chapters are probably about Arsene, because everything was new, and Conte, because, for me, he was a big shock. Everything was different."

Wenger, together with Thierry Henry and David Dein, former Arsenal co-owner and vice-chairman, were in the stands to see Como’s historic victory over Juventus last October. “It was amazing because I speak to Arsene,” Fabregas says. “He sends me messages after games, even when we lose or when we win after good performances. He gives me a lot of courage.”

Despite being linked with high-profile vacancies at former clubs like Chelsea, Fabregas remains steadfast in his commitment to attractive, possession-based football. He insists that he would rather walk away from the game than compromise on the technical principles that defined his illustrious playing career.

"I coach the way that I feel. I love the game. If I coach only to get results, I will not do it. I don’t have the necessity to do it. I played for 20 years, my kids, my wife, they have a great life. Thank God that I played for great clubs, and I don’t know how to say but I don’t need to do it. I do it because of the passion and because I want to do it my way. You can win in any way, as long as you convince the players and you convince everyone that this is the right way. But I have my beliefs. If you want to play long ball, second ball, I’m sorry I’m not your guy, because I don’t feel it. So I will not be able to transmit the fire," Fabregas explained.

Fabregas is not just a coach at Como; he is a minority shareholder with significant influence over the club's entire sporting direction. Working under the billionaire Hartono brothers, he has been given the freedom to implement his vision from the ground up, including designing training facilities and even dictating the dimensions of the pitch to suit his passing style.

"I take all the football decisions," he explained. "The sporting director, he’s day-to-day with me and we see football the same way. The signings, we work with data, we have our scouting and stuff, but it needs to be something that I believe in. It needs to be a player that I’m convinced about. I’m so happy and lucky that we have a president that trusts me a lot and has given me the confidence to go and take all the football decisions. That, for me, is really important."