Mikel Arteta has Arsenal sitting pretty at the top of the Premier League table, although there will come a time when he needs to be replaced.
The Spaniard has overseen the Gunners’ rise from mid-table mediocrity to perennial title challengers over the last few years.
While he’s yet to deliver a major honour to N5, the new campaign has started extremely promisingly, and few can raise serious question marks about what he’s done in his time in the Emirates dugout.
That said, if silverware continues to be absent from Arsenal’s trophy cabinet over the next few years, then it won’t be unreasonable for the North London Club’s hierarchy to make a change.
It would be negligent for Arsenal not to be eyeing up potential replacements for Arteta for the long-term.
The likes of Andrea Berta and Richard Garlick will no doubt be monitoring the current coaching market and keeping an eye out for the best emerging talent in this field.
They may have to look no further than Cesc Fabregas. The former Arsenal midfielder is arguably one of the brightest managerial prospects in Europe at the moment.
Fabregas took over at Como in the summer of 2024, immediately after the Italian side had won promotion to Serie A.
Leading them to a tenth-place finish in their first season back in the top flight, Como now sit sixth, just four points behind leaders AC Milan.
The Lombardy-based side beat Juventus 2-0 on the weekend, and Fabregas delivered an inspirational post-match speech to his players on the pitch, which has prompted many Arsenal fans to drool over the prospect of him returning to the club in a coaching role.
The 38-year-old Spaniard has been lauded for his innovative ideas, and it’s clear from how impressively he’s done with Como that he has the tactical acumen to take a job at a top club.
It’s also very evident that he has the personality and charisma to succeed in a big role, and thus, he should undoubtedly be considered for the hot-seat at Arsenal when Arteta eventually departs.
Fabregas made over 300 appearances for Arsenal between 2003 and 2011.
Despite being comfortably the best player in a red and white shirt in the late 2010s, the playmaker is not remembered fondly by many Gunners supporters.
The Spaniard controversially left for Barcelona in the summer of 2011, and he later completed a move to Chelsea.
Winning the Premier League twice with Arsenal’s bitter West London rivals, this was enough for many fans of the North London club to turn against their former captain.
Playing for Chelsea has certainly damaged his relationship with the Gunners faithful, and many Emirates Stadium attendees wouldn’t welcome his potential return to the club in a coaching role.
