Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca is on the brink of leaving Stamford Bridge after a complete breakdown in his relationship with the club’s hierarchy, according to multiple reports. Emergency talks are expected to be held Thursday to determine the Italian’s future, with a parting of ways considered highly likely.
The 45 year old manager, who was booed by supporters during Tuesday’s disappointing 2-2 Premier League draw with Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge, is not expected to be in charge for Sunday’s trip to Manchester City. Sources indicate Maresca wants to leave the club, although it remains unclear whether he is willing to walk away without a financial settlement. His contract runs until 2029 with an option for an additional year.
Chelsea have won just one of their last seven Premier League matches, dropping 15 points off leaders Arsenal. The Blues currently sit fifth in the table and have fallen out of title contention after briefly flirting with challenging for the championship earlier this season. The club has suffered defeats against Leeds United and Atalanta while drawing with Newcastle United and twice with Bournemouth in December alone.
Maresca is ending 2025 as Chelsea head coach, but multiple sources suggest he is unlikely to make it to the end of January unless results improve quickly. This marks the second successive season Chelsea have lost their way over the winter months under Maresca, with last season seeing the team win only two league games between mid December and the final week of February.
The relationship between Maresca and Chelsea’s ownership began to fracture publicly after the Italian made controversial comments following a 2-0 victory over Everton on December 13. He described the preceding 48 hours as “the worst 48 hours” since joining the club because “many people didn’t support us.” When pressed to clarify, Maresca simply repeated his statement and added that he loved the fans, leading many to speculate he was criticising club co owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.
The situation escalated when Maresca did not attend the post match press conference following Tuesday’s draw with Bournemouth. Assistant manager Willy Caballero initially stated Maresca was unwell and had been suffering from a temperature for two days. However, journalist Ben Jacobs reported Wednesday that Maresca was not actually sick and chose not to attend because he is in the middle of making a decision as he considers his options at the club.
Maresca is reportedly frustrated by aspects of the Chelsea project affecting his independence to make decisions, with strategic elements not always aligning with how he wants to manage the team. The manager has been linked with a desire for more power and a bigger say over signings at Chelsea, but the club is unwilling to alter a structure that has built an extensive recruitment team focused on signing young talent.
Chelsea have not fielded a player over the age of 30 during Maresca’s entire reign, reflecting the club’s commitment to developing and eventually selling young players for profit. Maresca’s frustrations may stem from the club’s approach, particularly after his public request for a center back during the summer transfer window was reportedly ignored. Reports also suggest the hierarchy has repeatedly questioned his tactical decisions.
If Maresca departs, Chelsea will be searching for their fifth permanent manager since being purchased by Boehly and Clearlake Capital in 2022. The current ownership previously sacked Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter during the season, while Frank Lampard served as an interim manager and Mauricio Pochettino was dismissed at the end of his first full campaign.
One potential solution would be to turn to Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior, who has long been viewed as a potential successor to Maresca. Strasbourg operates as Chelsea’s partner club under the same BlueCo parent company, and Rosenior has impressed in Ligue 1. However, any appointment would depend on whether Strasbourg could recruit a quality replacement.
Maresca has also been linked as a potential candidate for Manchester City should Pep Guardiola leave at the end of the season, though the Chelsea boss has played down such speculation. The former Leicester City manager arrived at Chelsea in June 2024 after leading the Foxes to the Championship title. In his first season, he guided Chelsea to both the UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup titles while finishing fourth in the Premier League to secure Champions League qualification.
The pace of developments has been extraordinary, with Chelsea facing a crucial January that includes nine fixtures across four competitions. The schedule features five league games, an FA Cup third round tie against Charlton Athletic, the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi final against Arsenal, and Champions League group stage matches against Pafos and Napoli. Chelsea’s hierarchy has shown reluctance to make mid season managerial changes, though the memory of their chaotic first season under current ownership remains prominent.