Inter’s appointment of Cristian Chivu as head coach in the summer of 2025 was not the direct result of Cesc Fabregas rejecting the job, challenging a widespread narrative. La Gazzetta dello Sport, as reported by FC Inter 1908, states that the idea Chivu should be grateful to Fabregas for refusing the Inter position is a “gross and superficial simplification,” adding that “in reality, it did not go exactly that way.”
Inzaghi Informs Inter of Departure
The sequence of events began after Simone Inzaghi informed Inter’s management, including CEO Beppe Marotta and sporting director Piero Ausilio, that his time at the club was over. This occurred in early June 2025, shortly after Inter’s heavy defeat in the Champions League final. The club, sensing Inzaghi’s project was “creaking,” moved quickly to find a successor capable of leading the team in the upcoming Club World Cup.
The Fabregas Meeting
During this search, Inter’s directors decided to contact Fabregas. The Spaniard, who had completed his first Serie A season, was in London celebrating his wife’s birthday. Ausilio travelled to meet him, but the gathering is described as “almost a courtesy call” rather than the start of formal negotiations. Fabregas had already told potential suitors, including Roma before they appointed Gian Piero Gasperini, that he had no intention of leaving Como, where he was managing at the time.
A Conversation, Not a Rejection
According to the reports, Inter’s approach to Fabregas was an “exploratory conversation” aimed at ensuring he would not accept an offer from a rival for the scudetto. It was not a disruptive move, as the interest was genuine, nor was it a serious attempt to hire him at that moment. Fabregas’s long-term ambition was to coach Barcelona or a major English club, and he felt that particular summer was not the right time to leave his young and ambitious project at Como.
“In realtà non è andata proprio così.”
The report further clarifies that Fabregas had already informed all interested parties of his commitment to Como, making the meeting with Ausilio a formality to confirm his stance.
Fcinter1908 and Dongqiudi reported these events based on information from La Gazzetta dello Sport.
