Chelsea & Arsenal icon lands interim role in senior management at club he co-owns with Thierry Henry

Former Arsenal and Chelsea icon Cesc Fabregas has taken his first steps into the world of football management as interim boss of Italian side Como 1907. The 115-time Spanish international - who co-owns the club with Arsenal legend Thierry Henry - will take charge of his first training session on Wednesday morning.

The 36-year-old, who played for Como last season, hung up his boots in the summer after a sensational 20-year playing career which saw him win the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, La Liga and the Copa Del Rey, along with two European Championships and a World Cup for Spain.

Fabregas is currently in the process of completing his coaching badges and has been working with Como’s Under-19s team for the last four months. The two-time Premier League winner has previously spoken of his desire to enter the world of management and claims he has taken inspiration from the likes of Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta and Roberto De Zerbi when watching English football in recent months.

Fabregas has been handed the interim role with the senior team after the club made the surprise decision to part company with Moreno Longo - despite the club being sixth in Italy’s second tier following a 1-0 win over Ascoli on Saturday.

A club statement said: “We would like to embark on a new path that hopefully will provide more excitement and entertainment for the fans in Como and beyond. We hope to make a new appointment for the head coach position in the near future.”

Como are reportedly aiming to find a permanent coach by the end of November. Former Chelsea midfielder Dennis Wise is currently working as the club’s president and it is likely that he will play a key role in the search for a new head coach.

Wise has previously managed the likes of Millwall, Swindon and Leeds United, while he also had a spell as director of football at Newcastle between January 2008 and April 2009.

Como are targeting promotion to Serie A for the first time in over 21-years after a series of financial struggles. The team has been owned by the Djarum Group since 2019 with Henry and Fabregas both acting as shareholders.

Fabregas will take charge of his first game against bottom side Feralpisalò on Saturday 25 November. His first footings in management are set to be captured in a behind-the-scenes documentary, with a crew currently following him for the duration of the season in Italy.