‘This is who will replace Enzo Maresca – Chelsea will sack him in the summer’
Todd Boehly is once again on the manager search after the decision was made for Enzo Maresca to depart Chelsea in quite dramatic fashion.
Former Barcelona boss Xavi has already been mentioned at Stamford Bridge, with a handful of potential replacements lining up outside the West London club ahead of the second half of the season.
Chelsea drew 2-2 with Bournemouth on Tuesday, 30 December, with high-flying Man City up next, with the Blues sitting three points outside of the Champions League spots.
Despite the success, Maresca had come under serious pressure because of the previous draw, but it appears so much more confusing than that behind the scenes.
It is understood that the manager was clashing with the medical staff, choosing to start players who still required treatment or rushing them back too quickly, such as Cole Palmer.
Richard Keys is completely unsold by the Liam Rosenior links
There has always been a revolving door at Stamford Bridge, with managers coming and going since the most recent previous successful period under Thomas Tuchel, who left in September 2022.
Now, Liam Rosenior is being linked with Chelsea, mainly due to his ties with the BlueCo group via Strasbourg, but Richard Keys is buying absolutely nothing about the potential new boss.
Taking to X (2 January), Keys wrote: “Rosenior will get the Chelsea job, but it will solve nothing. There are big issues internally, and Chelsea will be looking for another coach next May.”
Since leaving Hull City, Rosenior has made a name for himself in Ligue 1 with Strasbourg, where he currently has a 52 per cent win rate, with European qualification on the cards.
Andrey Santos disagrees with Keys over new manager
Unsurprisingly, Andrey Santos has spoken glowingly about the Strasbourg figure, calling him the “perfect” manager following their time together in the French first division.
The 21-year-old had two loan spells at the Stade de la Meinau, with the second being especially successful, as he notched 11 goals and four assists in 34 appearances across all competitions.
While he has found it much more difficult back at Stamford Bridge, with both Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez to battle for a starting spot, he has left a lasting impression.
There is no doubt that Santos is a talented player, and when given the opportunity, he grabs it with both fists. Maresca was certainly happy to trust him in the middle of the park.
The hiring of Rosenior would likely open more doors for the young Brazilian, but Keys believes there will still be some major issues being swept under the rug in West London.