Chelsea have confirmed that Enzo Maresca has left his position as head coach after his relationship with the club’s hierarchy broke down.
The Italian, who joined Chelsea in the summer of 2024, departs despite delivering success on the pitch, having guided the club to victory in the UEFA Conference League and the FIFA Club World Cup. Chelsea said those achievements would remain an important part of the club’s recent history but admitted that both sides felt a change was needed to improve results for the rest of the season.
Chelsea’s form has dipped in recent weeks, with the team winning only one of their last seven Premier League matches. They also suffered three defeats across all competitions in December, increasing pressure on Maresca and raising concerns within the club’s ownership.
Tensions reportedly grew after comments made by Maresca following a win over Everton, which did not go down well with the board. Further questions were raised when he did not speak to the media after a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth, a match in which supporters voiced their frustration following the substitution of Cole Palmer.
Chelsea currently sit fifth in the Premier League, 15 points behind leaders Arsenal, and face a busy January schedule, including a match against Manchester City. With key objectives still to play for, including qualification for the Champions League, the club felt a change in leadership was necessary.
The process to appoint a new head coach is now under way. Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior is understood to be the leading candidate, with strong backing from within Chelsea’s ownership group, BlueCo. Other managers under consideration include Marseille’s Roberto De Zerbi, Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna, Porto head coach Francesco Farioli and Coventry City manager Frank Lampard.
Chelsea are now searching for their seventh manager since 2022 as they look to restore stability and push on for the remainder of the season.
