Chelsea mission impossible: Finding the next Cesc Fabregas

Cesc Fabregas is set to depart Chelsea any time now. The Blues now begin the nearly impossible task of replacing a player like him.

If anyone had said in 2014 that in 2019 Cesc Fabregas would be departing Chelsea with happy tears and an adoring fan base, they would have been laughed at. But that just goes to show how much of an impact Fabregas has had on and off the field in Blue.

Jose Mourinho brought Fabregas to Chelsea as a way of breaking down parked buses (ironically). Without Fabregas feeding Diego Costa, Chelsea may not have won the title in 2014/2015. Under Antonio Conte, Fabregas fought his way back into Conte’s consideration through sheer force of will and determination. And with Maurizio Sarri, Fabregas played a role that he was not totally satisfied with because that was what was required of him in the new environment.

Fabregas is now leaving Chelsea due to lack of playing time and because he knows he can still offer a ton to some club. And Chelsea is left with a nearly impossible task in finding a suitable replacement for the Spaniard.

Fabregas was the only true deputy to Jorginho in the side. Ethan Ampadu has been touted as an option but Sarri seems to see the Welshman as more of a center back than regista. Chelsea needs a player that can not only control the tempo, but find opportunities to drop a laser guided pass (something Fabregas was even better at than Jorginho).

The two midfielders most heavily linked have been Nicolo Barella and more recently Leandro Paredes. Both would likely cost Chelsea far more than they will receive for Fabregas and it would be a hefty price for a backup. Of the two, Paredes is the more direct fill-in for the regista role whereas Barella could be used as one of the other midfield spots.

Acquiring both would imply that Mateo Kovacic is not returning. One would be doable in January but they would be a part of a very clogged midfield. Barella and Paredes are good players and starters for their current club, but at Chelsea they would enter a dogfight for minutes.

Both would also fail to fill in the loss of leadership created with Fabregas’ departure. The Spaniard has been an example on and off the pitch and his absence will be felt greatly for more than play. No target can fill in that gap.

One thing Barella and Paredes do have to their advantage is adaptability. If Maurizio Sarri fails to continue at Chelsea, both players could find roles under a number of managers. Jorginho may struggle to say the same.

Fabregas is a special player rarely made in any academy anymore. His unique blend of grit, technique, intelligence, and leadership is hard to find. Barella and Paredes may be good replacements but they fail to check every box and would cost a significant sum for a backup.

But Chelsea needs to do something if Jorginho has no deputy. The club may be preparing a worst case scenario option with Kyle Scott or Charlie Colkett returning. But the Blues will hit the market hard trying to find someone, anyone, before falling onto those fall backs.