Who Will be the New Chelsea Manager: Enzo Maresca left Chelsea after holding talks with people linked to Manchester City about possibly replacing Pep Guardiola. He told Chelsea’s board about these discussions, which happened twice in late October and again after the Everton match in December. Maresca had previously worked as Guardiola’s assistant at City in the 2022–23 season.
Strasbourg head coach Liam Rosenior has emerged as the leading candidate to replace Maresca. Strasbourg are owned by Chelsea’s parent company, BlueCo. Chelsea are not expected to pursue Oliver Glasner, Cesc Fabregas, Andoni Iraola, or Roberto De Zerbi, with Rosenior now considered the frontrunner.
His exit came after growing tension between him and the Chelsea board. Results had dipped, with only one win in seven league games, but the bigger problem was his behavior away from the pitch. His comment about going through his “worst 48 hours” after the Everton win raised concerns and added to the uncertainty around the club.
Chelsea were unhappy that Maresca tried to use interest from Manchester City and Juventus to push for a new contract. He was already signed until June 2029, and the club refused to open talks. This worsened relations and led to his position becoming unstable.
Further tension arose after the Bournemouth draw when Maresca skipped his post-match press conference. His assistant spoke instead, which surprised club officials. By then, Chelsea believed the situation had broken down.
Chelsea confirmed the split on New Year’s Day. They said Maresca helped the club win the UEFA Conference League and the FIFA Club World Cup, but both sides felt a change was needed to get the season back on track. Chelsea are now searching for a new head coach, with Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior among the leading candidates.
Who is Liam Rosenior? The frontrunner to replace Enzo Maresca as Chelsea manager
Liam Rosenior is a former Premier League player and is currently the head coach of Strasbourg in the French Ligue 1. He is 41 years old and is now the leading candidate to replace Enzo Maresca at Chelsea after the club parted ways with the Italian coach on New Year’s Day.
Rosenior played for Bristol City, Fulham, Reading, Hull City, and Brighton during his playing career. After retiring, he moved into coaching with Brighton’s under-23 team. His first major coaching role came in 2021 when he became assistant manager to Wayne Rooney at Derby County. During that time, he was influenced by Rooney’s approach to man-management and handling pressure.
After Rooney was sacked, Rosenior took charge of Derby on an interim basis. His work there impressed Hull City, who appointed him as their full-time manager in November 2022. He guided Hull to a seventh-place finish in the Championship and narrowly missed out on the playoffs, but he was later sacked.
Rosenior joined Strasbourg for the 2024–25 season. Strasbourg are owned by the same ownership group as Chelsea. He is known for changing formations during games based on the opposition rather than making major squad overhauls.
Chelsea are considering Rosenior because of his coaching style, his familiarity with the BlueCo ownership structure, and his ability to work within an existing system. Reports say Chelsea’s under-21 coach Calum McFarlane could take charge on an interim basis, but Rosenior is currently seen as the strongest long-term option.
FAQs
Q. What was Maresca’s final match in charge?
A. His last game was a 2–2 home draw against Bournemouth, where fans booed at full-time and reacted angrily to substitutions.
Q. What trophies did Maresca win at Chelsea?
A. Maresca led Chelsea to victory in the UEFA Conference League and the FIFA Club World Cup during his time at the club.
Q. What did Maresca mean by his “worst 48 hours” comment?
A. The comment was linked to frustration over internal support and disagreements with the club’s medical department, rather than on-field results alone.
Q. Where was Chelsea in the league at the time of his exit?
A. Chelsea were fifth in the Premier League, 15 points behind Arsenal and five points above 14th-placed Brighton.
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