Enzo Maresca is expected to leave Chelsea imminently, ahead of their games against Manchester City and Arsenal over the coming fortnight.
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 21: Enzo Maresca, Manager of Chelsea, looks on prior to the Premier League match between West Ham United FC and Chelsea FC at London Stadium on September 21, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Henry Browne/Getty Images)
Photo by Henry Browne/Getty Images
Sky Sports News reported on Thursday morning that Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca was on the brink at his current club, with a decision on his future expected before their trip to Manchester City this weekend.
They added that a decision would be made on Thursday, with no guarantee that Maresca would still be in charge this weekend.
Matt Law has since claimed it is expected Maresca will be gone by the end of the day, with David Ornstein reporting for The Athletic that the two parties are parting ways with immediate effect.
fe73e7c6 3bba 43b3 8db1 8fc3bc220fc9
Sky had reported on Wednesday that Maresca himself could decide to resign after a breakdown in relations with key figures at Chelsea. So even if they didn’t fire him, he might have quit.
According to the same source, Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior is an early favourite to replace Maresca at Chelsea, with Strasbourg being a sister club of Chelsea under owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital’s BlueCo group.
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 22: Chelsea Owner, Todd Boehly, looks on during the UEFA Women's Champions League semifinal 1st leg match between Chelsea FC and FC Barcelona at Stamford Bridge on April 22, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Broadway/Getty Images)
Photo by Alex Broadway/Getty Images
Fabrizio Romano had reported that Maresca’s future was indeed under discussion at Chelsea, with doubts about the manager’s future intensifying amid a tense situation. The club and the manager will assess recent results and the general situation before making a decision.
Kaveh Solhekol of Sky claimed missing the post-match press conference on Tuesday was another sign of problems behind the scenes, with relations having been strained for some time.
At this point, Maresca feels a line has been crossed, and officially parting ways is seemingly just a matter of time now.
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 10: Enzo Maresca, Manager of Chelsea arrives prior to the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Arsenal FC at Stamford Bridge on November 10, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
The decision on Maresca’s future will obviously have a significant impact on Chelsea’s match against Manchester City on Sunday, which will have an indirect knock-on effect on City’s title race against Arsenal.
More directly, Chelsea face Arsenal in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final on January 14th, and it’s looking increasingly likely another manager will be in charge by then.
Related Topics