Fàbregas wants to keep playing for ‘many years’, wishes he were better defensively

Cesc Fàbregas is hoping to keep the light of his playing career on for a few more years, before retiring to the ennui of raising seventeen children (approximately).

Actually, it sounds like Fàbregas is just the latest in an increasingly long line of Chelsea players looking to get into coaching, as he revealed in an interview with Marca over the weekend.

“I am sure that I will study to be a coach and hopefully in 15 years I will be coaching a top club.”

But before all that, he wants to play for a few more years, whether at Chelsea, or back at Arsenal, or whoever will have him. If previous evidence is anything to go by, he’d probably like to stay in or around London, or at least the Premier League.

“The same motivation and the desire to compete to win [has remained over the past 15 years]. It means that you always want more...”

“I feel fine still. In seven months my contract ends with Chelsea. It will be 16 seasons playing at the highest level, over 750 games, a lot of training, travelling... I feel young and strong but maybe I can’t do 60 games a season. With my style I think I can keep playing for longer and obviously I want to keep playing for many years.”

“Of course [I could see myself returning to Arsenal], Arsenal will always be in my heart and I will never forget them so why not return. You never know.”

Fàbregas may not be a starter anymore, but he looks set to play a part at Chelsea anyway as the primary backup to the midfield metronome Jorginho. With twice-weekly matches the norm and Sarri rotating his squad regularly, Cesc could be in line for plenty of minutes.

What the future hold beyond that is unknown, but at this point of his career, Cesc isn’t too worried about that. He knows his qualities, and he knows his weaknesses.

“[The one element of the game I would’ve liked to do better would’ve been to be able to play] more defensively. I always did my best but physically I was not so great in that area despite the fact I have improved. I would have preferred to be better and more consistent physically.”

-Cesc Fàbregas; source: Marca

Despite those limitations, Fàbregas proved himself to both Mourinho and Conte and he’s doing the same with Sarri now as well. If he keeps that up, and the team keeps winning, it would not be surprising to see him sign a one-year extension before the season’s out.