Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca considering his future at club: How his tenure went downhill

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is reportedly thinking about leaving the club after a difficult run in charge. The Italian coach, who has won only one of his last seven Premier League games, skipped the post-match press conference after Tuesday’s 2-2 draw with Bournemouth. He cited illness as the reason behind the call to avoid the presser.

Many believe this was just a cover story, and the real reason was that Maresca is considering leaving the club at the earliest.

Why Maresca is thinking of an early exit?

According to reports, Maresca feels “unsupported” and “underappreciated” at the club. He has struggled with the conditions and his relationship with the higher-ups has deteriorated. His cryptic comments about experiencing his “worst 48 hours” at the club after the win against Everton last month created tension.

Chelsea, however, are said to have no immediate plans to sack Maresca, but the club is aware of his unhappiness and might take action if results fail to improve. The Guardian reported that Maresca may himself want to leave even if it means giving up part of his payout. His contract runs until 2029 with an option for another year. Maresca was also booed by fans at Stamford Bridge after the Bournemouth draw.

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Maresca has also faced criticism for tactical decisions during games and the team’s poor results. Chelsea have dropped 15 points from winning positions this season, and his substitutions and approach have been questioned, particularly during recent defeats to Leeds, Atalanta, and Aston Villa. Maresca’s absence from press duties after the Bournemouth game further fueled speculation.

Chelsea are expected to address the situation soon, with emergency talks planned this week. The club reportedly has contingency plans in place, including Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior as a potential replacement. If Maresca leaves, he will be Chelsea’s fifth permanent manager since the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital takeover in 2022.

Maresca’s relationship with the club has reportedly deteriorated because there are suggestions that he wants more power over transfers, but Chelsea don’t want to make any changes to the current recruitment team, on which they spend a lot of money. It will be interesting to see how the club and Maresca handle the situation going forward.

Chelsea are all set to play nine matches in January, including five league games, an FA Cup tie against Charlton, the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final against Arsenal, and Champions League matches against Pafos and Napoli.