Enzo Maresca ‘on Brink’ of Shock Chelsea Exit

A final decision is expected to be made before the weekend’s game against Man City.

Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea future is unclear. / Michael Driver/MI News/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Chelsea may be forced to begin 2026 with a search for a new manager as multiple reports state Enzo Maresca could depart the club in the coming hours.

All seemed well at Chelsea just one month ago, but Maresca plunged his own future at Stamford Bridge into uncertainty with a shocking rant after a 2–0 win over Everton, in which he insisted a severe lack of support from “people in general” had contributed to the worst 48 hours of his tenure.

FREE NEWSLETTER. New SI FC Newsletter Global Embed. Sign Up to Get Informed With SI FC. dark

Since then, results have tumbled and speculation about Maresca’s future has only grown. The Telegraph were first to suggest there was a genuine possibility of a departure, before a wave of reports revealed the full extent of the situation.

According to The Guardian, emergency talks will be held on Thursday in search of a resolution, which is highly likely to end in a departure for Maresca. The Italian is said to be eager to leave but discussions must be held over the legal side of things, with Maresca still under contract until 2029.

Indeed, things are so tense that Maresca is not expected to be in charge of Chelsea for Sunday’s meeting with Manchester City.

---

Why Is Enzo Maresca Considering Leaving Chelsea?

Maresca is unhappy with life at Chelsea. / Robin Jones/AFC Bournemouth/Getty Images

While on-field results have trended in the wrong direction in recent weeks, the team’s performance has hardly justified a change of manager. Instead, it is behind-the-scenes issues which have brought us to this point.

Reports highlight a complete breakdown in relationship between Maresca and those calling the shots at Stamford Bridge, namely co-owner Behdad Eghbali and co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart.

The structure of Chelsea’s hierarchy has divided opinion since BlueCo’s arrival in 2022. Eghbali, Winstanley and Stewart take strong roles in player recruitment and the general direction of the club, with the first-team manager tasked with taking their plans and turning them into gold on the pitch.

While that arrangement was made clear to Maresca when he was appointed, the belief is that the Italian is no longer happy to abide. A lack of involvement in transfer dealings has frustrated Maresca, whose public call for a centre back during the summer was ignored, while it was initially reported that he was frustrated by the hierarchy’s repeated questions of his tactics in early December.

It is a remarkable turnaround from just one month ago, when Chelsea beat Barcelona 3–0 and were being celebrated as potential Premier League title candidates after an impressive 1–1 draw with Arsenal. Now, the Blues are 15 points off top spot and on the cusp of a crisis.

---

READ THE LATEST CHELSEA NEWS, TRANSFER RUMOURS AND MORE

feed