Enzo Maresca’s future at Chelsea is in serious doubt after a breakdown in relations with the club’s hierarchy, sources have told ESPN.
Talks are expected to take place on Thursday to determine whether Maresca can continue as head coach.
Chelsea were booed off at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday after a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth with Maresca facing chants of “you don’t know what you’re doing” from fans when opting to substitute Cole Palmer.
Although Chelsea have won just one of their last seven matches, sources have told ESPN that the club were planning to stick by Maresca until assessing his performance during a planned review at the end of the season.
However, Maresca’s increasingly public displays of dissent towards the ownership have placed his immediate future in doubt. Some reports suggest Maresca is considering his position himself. His contract worth more than £4 million ($5.3m) per year, runs until 2029 — with the option for a further year — and so any payoff would likely be a considerable sum.
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Regardless, sources said the club’s hierarchy are becoming concerned by Maresca’s behaviour.
The 45-year-old claimed last month he had experienced “the worst 48 hours” of his time at the club in the build-up to a 2-0 win over Everton.
Maresca repeatedly declined to explain that outburst but sources told ESPN that this reflected a growing unease with his working conditions as opposed to a one-off bust-up behind the scenes.
Sources also said that Maresca’s public comment took members of his own staff by surprise.
Chelsea’s head coach works within a heavily supported structure including five sporting directors led by Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stuart.
Former Liverpool director scouting and recruitment, Dave Fallows, was added to the team in November, joining Joe Shields and Sam Jewell.
Clearlake Capital co-founder Behdad Eghbali is also a prominent presence from owners BlueCo while co-owner Todd Boehly is also an engaged contributor.
Maresca hinted at some frustration after the events of the summer transfer window, when the club rejected his calls to sign another centre-back following a serious knee injury sustained by Levi Colwill.
He did not appear at his post-match news conference after the AFC Bournemouth game. The official explanation given at the time was that Maresca was “sick.”
As things stand, he is due to address the media tomorrow ahead of Sunday’s trip to Manchester City but sources close to the situation suggest his position is becoming increasingly untenable.
Maresca, who joined Chelsea in July 2024, guided the club back to Champions League football in his debut season by finishing fourth in the Premier League, as well as lifting the Conference League title and the inaugural Club World Cup.
