January 01, (THEWILL) — Chelsea have dismissed head coach, Enzo Maresca, with immediate effect, ending his tenure less than two years into a five-year contract running through to 2029. The Italian departs following three consecutive matches without victory, culminating in Tuesday’s draw with Bournemouth that saw supporters boo the team off at Stamford Bridge.
The club’s board met to discuss Maresca’s future on Thursday. His position had become uncertain after he stated following the win against Everton on December 13 that the previous 48 hours had been his worst since joining, citing a lack of support from many people. Reports later emerged that Manchester City were considering him should Pep Guardiola depart the Etihad Stadium next summer.
Chelsea appointed Maresca in June 2024, making him the sixth manager since Roman Abramovich’s exit. He arrived from Leicester City, where he had secured the Championship title and automatic promotion. During his sole season at Stamford Bridge, he won the Conference League and the expanded Club World Cup.
The London club currently sit fifth in the English Premier League, trailing leaders Arsenal by 15 points whilst holding only a five-point cushion over 14th-placed Brighton. The board remain committed to the approach established after the Clearlake Capital-Todd Boehly consortium takeover in 2022, with the next appointment expected to conform to that framework whilst delivering swift improvement.
Liam Rosenior, who has performed well at fellow BlueCo-owned club Strasbourg, is anticipated to be among the candidates. Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner is not being considered. Chelsea face Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, though who will lead the team remains unclear following Maresca’s departure.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
