Enzo Maresca leaves Chelsea following multiple discussions with Manchester City

Enzo Maresca’s departure from Chelsea came after he held repeated discussions with Manchester City about potentially succeeding Pep Guardiola, the Press Association understands.

The Italian manager left Chelsea on Thursday, ending an 18-month tenure during which he guided the club back into the Champions League after a two-year absence, as well as winning the UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup.

Sources indicate that Maresca’s willingness to engage with City, despite having three and a half years remaining on his contract, combined with a gradual deterioration in his relationship with Chelsea, brought matters to a head and led to a mutual parting of ways.

Chelsea reportedly viewed Maresca’s discussions with City as a breach of trust, particularly given the risk associated with appointing him directly from Leicester City, then a Championship side.

Tensions over player management and medical advice

The Press Association understands that Maresca’s reluctance to follow the advice of Chelsea’s medical staff regarding team selections — potentially jeopardising the fitness of players returning from injury — also contributed significantly to the untenable situation.

This issue, rather than broader disagreements with the sporting directors, was central to Maresca’s description of his “worst 48 hours” at the club, following the 13 December victory over Everton. His failure to clarify that these comments referred specifically to medical staff sparked speculation that he was criticising the club’s hierarchy, further straining relations.

During his time in charge, several players, including Reece James and Cole Palmer, had their game time carefully managed due to repeated injury concerns. Maresca’s final match in charge — a 2–2 draw with Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge — saw him substituted Palmer in the last 30 minutes, prompting boos from supporters.

Reports suggesting that Maresca was excluded from recruitment decisions are understood to be inaccurate, with the head coach’s approval required for all acquisitions, overseen by Chelsea’s five-strong recruitment team led by co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart.

Club statement and future plans

Chelsea released a statement on Thursday:

“Chelsea Football Club and head coach Enzo Maresca have parted company.
During his time at the club, Enzo led the team to success in the UEFA Conference League and the FIFA Club World Cup. These achievements will remain an important part of the club’s recent history, and we thank him for his contributions.
With key objectives still to play for across four competitions, including qualification for Champions League football, Enzo and the club believe a change gives the team the best chance of getting the season back on track. We wish Enzo well for the future.”

Liam Rosenior, head coach of French side Strasbourg — owned by Chelsea’s parent company BlueCo — has emerged as the early favourite among bookmakers to succeed Maresca.

Chelsea Under-21s head coach Calum McFarlane is scheduled to speak to the media on Friday afternoon during a press conference ahead of the weekend fixture against Manchester City.