2026 started with the news that Enzo Maresca would leave Chelsea after only 18 months. The Italian had a contract running until 2029 and had already won two trophies for the club, but left after a series of disappointing results (only one win in seven Premier League games) and after feeling abandoned by the club's bosses.
According to Sky correspondent Kaveh Solhekol, Maresca decided to step down himself, because he felt his position was untenable. "It doesn't usually happen that a Premier League boss walks away from the club". However, the club also were considering making a change, he reports, so it's unclear who took the initiative, even if that doesn't really matter anymore.
Sky Sports says that the two reasons why the club wanted Maresca to leave were a series of comments made in the media and the fact that Maresca himself revealed he had received offers from at least two Champions League clubs in recent months.
Apparently, Maresca had disagreed with the medical department from Chelsea about the fitness and availability of players during his time at the club, including the number of minutes played by captain Reece James, with a history of hamstring injuries. Chelsea's sources say that they never interfered with the football decisions made by the club.
Finally, the Sky Sports correspondent confirms that Liam Rosenior, currently at Strasbourg, is the first candidate for the role, but no decision has been made. They have a "small list of candidates" with a contingency plan in case nothing works.