There’s plenty of change taking place at Chelsea at the moment and there are many question marks hanging over the Bridge as a result. Spare a thought for Cesc Fabregas who, with the arrival of Jorginho, has seemingly seen himself fall further down the pecking order for the upcoming season.
New Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri has seen fit to bolster his options in midfield and it appears it may be an area he is still looking to strengthen and that can only spell danger for the likes of Fabregas, Ross Barkley and Danny Drinkwater. All are classed as homegrown players by the Premier League and that will aid their cause slightly in a Chelsea squad that is thin on the ground with homegrown talent. That being said, the Italian may seek to trim the squad and Cesc, at 31, could be the prime candidate.
Having joined from Barcelona in 2014, the Spaniard has won two Premier League titles in the last four years and played a pivotal role in both title-winning seasons. There is, however, a notion that he can only play in a three nowadays and that playing in a two exposes his lack of mobility. That is likely to prove crucial as Sarri’s teams work incredibly hard and are known for their high pressing game; something that is clearly not suited to the Rolls Royce-type player that Fabregas is.
So what are the options for Fabregas? A move back to Spain potentially, but there are likely to be few suitors that can afford his wages. Another Premier League club perhaps; a reunion with Jose Mourinho isn’t particularly hard to envisage and Manchester United have struggled with their midfield creativity. Another option is to look to join a team in one of Europe’s more pedestrian leagues, namely Ligue 1 in France or Serie A in Italy.
Wherever the future lies for Fabregas he will be an asset for a few years to come yet and will always be considered a success story at the Bridge.
