BlueCo already have potential head coach candidate in mind if Enzo Maresca leaves Chelsea

Blues' ownership group BlueCo view Strasbourg head coach Liam Rosenior as a potential long-term option for the Chelsea job amid rumours of friction between Enzo Maresca and the club hierarchy.

Maresca's cryptic comment following Chelsea's 2-0 win over Everton last weekend raised some eyebrows.

"The last 48 hours have been the worst 48 hours since I joined the club because many people didn't support us," the Italian said in the post-match conference.

He refused to explain who he was referring to, but he did not seem to point his fingers at the supporters.

"In general. In general," he added. "I love the fans, and we are very happy with the fans."

According to a report from The Telegraph, sources believe Maresca has become fed up with having to explain himself internally at Chelsea.

The Italian is also said to doubt whether some of the higher-ups really trust him.

Maresca's refusal to clarify the comment despite being asked about it repeatedly during Monday's press conference did not help, of course.

"I think when I want to say something, I’m quite clear," he insisted.

"I already spoke after the game, I don’t need to add more."

Maresca joined Jorge Mendes' Gestifute agency back in October.

However, since he remains under contract at Chelsea until 2029, with the club having an option to extend the deal by a further year, no one thought much of it, except that it represents his rise in status among top football minds.

Chelsea's objectives this season are to qualify for the Champions League through the Premier League and to do well in cup competitions.

These are well within reach, but if the rumoured rift between Maresca and the hierarchy is true, it is hard to predict what will happen in the summer.

A recent report also claims that Manchester City have Maresca high on their shortlist of potential replacements in case Pep Guardiola leaves the club at the end of the season.

Maresca spent a season as Manchester City Under-21s manager in 2020, before returning to the club in June 2022 as one of Guardiola's assistants.

BlueCo already have a potential candidate on their list

According to a recent report from GiveMeSport, Rosenior, who is currently in charge of another BlueCo club, Strasbourg, is on Crystal Palace's shortlist as a possible replacement for Oliver Glasner.

But more importantly, the report claims that the 41-year-old is also viewed as a potential long-term option for the Chelsea job.

BlueCo reportedly believe that staff and players can move up the ladder if they demonstrate satisfactory performance.

Obviously, Rosenior is such a young manager, even younger than Maresca, and has not had much experience as a head coach.

He was an assistant coach for Brighton Under-23 following his retirement as a player in the summer of 2018, before becoming a coach turned assistant to Wayne Rooney at Derby County. He later served as an interim for three months at the club in 2022.

He joined his former club Hull City as a head coach not long after in November 2022, before leaving in May 2024, during which he was nominated for the Championship Manager of the Season award.

Rosenior joined Strasbourg in July 2024, replacing Patrick Vieira, and has done really well in his first season by leading the team to qualify for the UEFA Conference League after finishing seventh in Ligue 1.

While many would argue that Rosenior still lacks experience for the Chelsea hot seat, it is easy to forget that prior to joining Chelsea, Maresca had only had one stint as a head coach at Leicester City.