Como president gives Cesc Fabregas freedom to leave

Suwarso addressed reports of a clause in Fabregas’ contract that could allow him to leave Como for Barcelona, Arsenal or Chelsea during an appearance on Piers Morgan’s Football Uncensored.

The Como president rejected the idea that the coach needs a specific clause to secure a move elsewhere, arguing that their relationship goes beyond a conventional employer-employee arrangement.

“He doesn’t need a clause to go wherever he wants, in fact,” Suwarso said. “In a business like this, he is more of a friend than anything else.”

Suwarso went further by saying he would not demand compensation if Fabregas decided he wanted to leave.

“I could even say that if tomorrow they called him, or he called me and said ‘I want to go to Leverkusen’, for example, I would say to him, ‘Is there something you want to do? Then OK, go. I don’t need any compensation’,” he said.

Fabregas has become an important figure at Como since taking charge and also holds a minority stake in the club. Suwarso believes his contribution has gone beyond coaching and helped establish the foundations of the project.

“We understand each other. He helped us build the club,” Suwarso said. “I always like to say that he is our Johan Cruyff, as he was for Barcelona. He created the foundations for us.”

That relationship means Suwarso would like Fabregas to remain involved, but he accepts the coach cannot be forced to stay if he wants to move into another phase of his career.

“If he went into the next phase of his career... could Como be it? It could. I am not giving up on keeping him. I love having him with us, it is almost like a family,” Suwarso said.

“But at the same time, you cannot keep someone if they don’t want to stay.”

The comments provide a clear indication of Como’s position should interest from a major club materialise. Rather than relying on a contractual restriction, Suwarso believes the relationship between the club and Fabregas should allow the coach to make his own decision.

For now, there is no indication that Fabregas is seeking to leave Como. Suwarso’s comments instead underline the trust that exists between the two parties while acknowledging that the coach’s ambitions could eventually take him elsewhere.