Chelsea fans will have been relieved to reach the end of the 25/26 campaign. It was another unsuccessful one for the club since the BlueCo takeover. That makes it three out of four. But there is some positivity heading into the summer. Of course, the upcoming World Cup is a good distraction. At the same time, the impending arrival of Xabi Alonso has lifted the mood as well.
Of course, Chelsea saw two managerial changes this season. Enzo Maresca left in the middle of the campaign. Many were uncertain about the decision to replace him with Liam Rosenior and their doubts were proven right. He was sacked three months into a six-and-a-half-year contract.
A lot of supporters were empathetic towards the circumstances around Maresca’s exit, after he had not been backed in the summer. But their feelings have changed after recent reports have suggested that he was always eyeing the Manchester City job, even while still at Chelsea.
Fabrizio Romano is one of the most reliable journalists in football. And he has confirmed that Enzo Maresca to Manchester City is now ‘here we go’. He has already signed a three-year deal as the club’s new manager.
Maresca’s exit has divided the Chelsea fanbase
One would imagine that Maresca will not get a warm welcome back when Manchester City visit Stamford Bridge next season. As for Chelsea themselves, they will be hoping that Alonso will be able to hit the ground running.
That would require the club to sign top talents this summer. They must tweak their transfer model. And there have been suggestions that Alonso will have a big say.
Things could become difficult on the other end as key players are being linked with moves away. And Maresca might have his say on that.
Could Enzo Fernandez and Marc Cucurella join him at Man City?
Over the last week, it has been suggested that Manchester City are serious about signing Enzo Fernandez. The Argentine midfielder shared a solid bond with Maresca during their time together at Stamford Bridge. Now, it looks like he is interested in leaving. And a reunion could be on the cards.
Of course, it won’t be easy for Chelsea to allow arguably their best player to join a direct rival in Man City. But at the same time, no other club might be willing to meet their transfer fee demands.
On the other hand, Marc Cucurella is another player who has been linked with a move to Manchester City recently. Do not forget, they wanted him before Chelsea signed the Spaniard.
At the same time, he has also been linked with a move to Spain. Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are believed to be the two favourites.
Sourav Mahanty
Sourav Mahanty has covered teams like Chelsea, Celtic, Real Madrid, Manchester United, PSG and more over a career that has now lasted a decade. His work has been featured on Sports Illustrated, Athlon Sports, SB Nation, FanSided, The Sportster and aggregated through Bleacher Report and NewsNow. Outside of football, he is also interested in basketball, cricket and professional wrestling.
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