What exactly is Chelsea's management dissatisfied with Enzo Maresca? Why was the head coach, who only led the Blues for one and a half seasons, sacked? Was it because he failed to stop the transfer rumors between himself and Manchester City after Pep Guardiola stepped down? Or because he failed to win any of the last three Premier League games?
The short 99-word press release announced the end of the Italian coach’s tenure at the London club, but did not specify why the board parted ways with its fifth head coach in four years. However, it is widely believed that the decision stemmed from other motives, more related to Maresca’s player selections.
Over the past few weeks, the relationship between the Italian coach and the club’s management has continued to deteriorate. This summer, after Chelsea qualified for the Champions League, they also won the Europa Conference League and Club World Cup, and the relationship between the two parties reached its peak.
By autumn, however, this harmonious situation no longer existed. Club chairman and co-owner (co-owner of BlueCo fund with Todd Boehly) Behdad Eghbali demanded that the team sign more young players and increase squad rotation.
Maresca was not satisfied with this.
But Eghbali wants not only results but also economic benefits, such as selling Noni Madueke to Arsenal for 60 million euros this summer, while Chelsea only signed him from PSV Eindhoven for 35 million euros two years ago.
Privately, he believes Chelsea has one of the youngest squads in the Premier League and has demanded that the club rotate these young players more to fully demonstrate their potential. In his view, Maresca has not done enough in this regard.
The Italian believes Chelsea should rely on experienced veterans, just like the great Chelsea teams of the past. In addition, he did not hesitate to publicly criticize the club for refusing to sign a center-back after Levi Colwill was injured this summer.
Eghbali wants a coach who, if not more compliant, is at least more in line with the shareholders’ business model—something that is almost a typical feature of Englishman Liam Rosenior.
The current Strasbourg head coach has had a successful season in Alsace, showing the courage to use existing players. For example, he has successfully developed players like André Santos and Emmanuel Emegha. But Chelsea’s situation is completely different.
On Thursday, the London club did not disclose any information about its intentions.
"But if they sack Maresca, it’s because they have already reached an agreement with a coach," a source close to the Blues revealed.
In fact, negotiations with Rosenior are progressing smoothly, and Rosenior will join with his coaching team, but goalkeeping coach Sebastián Giménez will not accompany him.
The Blues don’t seem to be worried about affecting Strasbourg’s season—after all, they also own shares in Strasbourg.
A source close to Eghbali confirmed this: "They don’t care at all."
