The search for a permanent replacement for Liam Rosenior has gotten underway just a few hours after the Englishman was shown the exit door following a poor run of results.
For the first time in decades, Chelsea suffered seven consecutive defeats across all competitions without scoring a single goal. Five of those came in the Premier League, dealing a big blow to the team’s hopes of qualifying for Europe next season.
A heavy 3–0 defeat to Brighton in midweek Premier League clash was the last straw that broke the camel’s back, culminating in the sack of the former Strasbourg boss.
Calum McFarlane, the club’s U21 and U19 head coach, has now been handed the keys to the Blues’ dugout on an interim basis and will take charge of his first game against Leeds United in the FA Cup semi-final on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Blues have begun the search for a permanent manager, likely to take over from McFarlane at the end of the season.
According to RMC Sport and Football Insider, Chelsea have drawn up a two-man shortlist featuring fast-rising Como boss Cesc Fabregas and Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola.
The report adds the Blues consider Cesc Fabregas an option given his propsect as a manager and affinity with the club as a former player.
Fabregas began his managerial career as Como’s interim boss in 2023 and has since turned heads with his impact at the club. Just a few months into the role, he led the team to promotion from Serie B to the Italian top flight and assumed reins in the dugout permanently.
This season, the Spaniard has continued to work wonders with the Lombardy-based outfit, having them strongly in contention for European football next season.
A move to Chelsea could mark a big leap in his managerial career, but it’s yet unclear whether he would accept a new managerial challenge in the Premier League with his Como contract running till 2028.
Conversely, Andoni Iraola could be an easy target for the Blues and a more experienced alternative to Fabregas.
The Spaniard recently announced his decision to leave Bournemouth at the end of the season and is renowned for transforming the Cherries into a formidable Premier League team since assuming the reins in 2023.
With 11 wins, 16 draws, and seven defeats in the Premier League this season, he has kept Bournemouth firmly in the race for European football next season, and will bow out in style after a fruitful three-year spell.
Whether Chelsea can convince either man to take the job could define the direction of the club for years to come.
