Stefan Borson suggests what went on between Enzo Maresca and Man City before Chelsea termination
Chelsea have parted company with Enzo Maresca after talks were revealed around him potentially joining Manchester City.
It was confirmed on 1 January Maresca has left Chelsea after his position was deemed untenable at Stamford Bridge.
Tensions had been growing in west London after it was revealed Maresca is high on Man City’s list of candidates to replace Pep Guardiola.
However, The Guardian reported on 1 January the Italian boss attempted to use interest from Man City and Juventus as leverage to agree a new deal with Chelsea.
The newspaper said Stamford Bridge chiefs were “unimpressed” by Maresca’s request and did not start talks over a contract extension.
Why Enzo Maresca told Chelsea about Man City talks
Former Man City financial adviser Stefan Borson exclusively told Football Insider it was in Maresca’s interest to inform Chelsea of the conversations he had with other clubs due to a clause in his contract.
The 45-year-old spent a year-and-a-half in charge at Stamford Bridge, having joined the Blues from Leicester City in June 2024.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Borson said: “I think it was in his interest for him to make it known to senior people within the Chelsea group that he’d had those conversations.
“Those sorts of conversations go on the whole time and every contract will have that obligation for the manager to inform the people above him that those conversations have been ongoing, so that in itself is not an unusual clause.
“I think most of the time people don’t share the fact that their agent had a call from an intermediary working for another club, but it was in his interest to make Chelsea aware of it.”
How Maresca tried to strengthen his Chelsea position
Borson revealed Maresca was open to signing a new Chelsea deal in exchange for ending talks with Man City about replacing Guardiola.
“One of the most telling things about the whole story, of course, is that apparently he was open to signing a new contract in exchange for not speaking to other clubs going forward, including City,” said Borson.
“I think part of it was a negotiation move from him to try and strengthen his position. I wouldn’t say it backfired because, ultimately, I think what they’ve done here is they flushed out the issues with the relationship and accelerated the changes that probably were going to happen at some point.
“Instead of happening at the end of the season or in the meat of the season, they’ve happened now.”
Maresca has been replaced by Liam Rosenior, who has joined Chelsea from Ligue 1 side Strasbourg.
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