Cesc Fabregas has announced his retirement from football, but he will remain in Italy with Calcio Como and become their youth team coach for this season.
The midfielder recently turned 36 and had been under contract with Serie B side Como until June 2024.
However, he confirmed via social media that he has taken the decision to hang up his boots with immediate effect.
Coming through the Barcelona and Arsenal academies, Fabregas also played for Chelsea and Monaco before the surprise move to Como in the summer of 2022.
It was always with the intention of starting out playing for the club so that he could prepare himself for a new career in management.
He made just 17 Serie B appearances for Como, still providing two assists.
Fabregas will start out as the coach of the B and Primavera youth teams of Como 1907.
“A club and a project I couldn’t be more excited about. This charming football team won my heart from the first minute and came to me at the perfect time in my career. I will grab it with both hands.”
His old teammate Dennis Wise is on the Como board and had been their director from 2019.