Milan have decided they will not stick with current coach Sergio Conceicao beyond the end of the season and are looking at possible replacements, with La Gazzetta dello Sport claiming Fabregas is the favourite candidate. The former Barcelona, Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder guided Como to promotion to Serie A last season and has them sitting 13th in the table after 26 games.
The prospect of Fabregas taking over at San Siro has already received the approval of former coach Arrigo Sacchi. The Rossoneri legend has been a vocal critic of the current team and believes that the Serie A giants have not ‘looked like a team’ under Conceicao, who only took charge at the end of December. The Portuguese coach has so far failed to lift his side beyond eighth place in Serie A, while they also suffered a surprising Champions League exit to Feyenoord last month, leading to speculation that a change of manager may once again be on the cards.
“This Milan is not a team. I say this with regret, because you know how much I love this club, but unfortunately, you can’t escape the evidence. In Bologna there were 11 players scattered around the pitch with nothing to hold them together, no game, no idea,” Sacchi told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“I don’t think the club sees a future with Conceiçao. I see a maestro there, I’m thinking of [Maurizio] Sarri or [Antonio] Conte or even [Marco] Baroni from Lazio, and I’m following Fabregas’ progress with attention and interest. The key is to bring in a coach who can instil a clear style of play.
“As an external observer and a Milan fan, I notice a few things: in the summer, they wanted a coach, Julen Lopetegui, who was rejected by the fans, and then they changed Paulo Fonseca, they fired him and signed Conceiçao and five more players. The result is the same: Milan has not yet become a team.”
Milan host fifth-placed Lazio on Sunday, looking to close the gap on their opponents to just three points with a win. Failure to secure victory could throw Conceicao under more pressure, although no decision has been made over his future yet, with Milan reportedly currently hoping to appoint a sporting director first.
With the goal for Milan to finish in the top four, the Serie A giants are understood to be monitoring coaches such as Fabregas and Sarri as they aim to avoid further decline on and off the pitch.
