Enzo Maresca is approaching the end of his first year in charge as the Chelsea head coach, and fresh reports suggest he’s on the radar of a European club.
Enzo Maresca, 45, signed a five-year deal last summer when he became the Chelsea manager.
It’s been a year of ups and downs so far for the Italian boss, and everything still hangs in the balance going into the final weeks of the season.
The Blues have two Premier League games left to hold on to a spot in the top five and secure Champions League qualification. Also, they face Real Betis at the end of May in the Conference League final.
Chelsea’s board members are split on Enzo Maresca as the pressure cranks up towards the business end of the season. Apparently, the results in the next couple of weeks could end up deciding the manager’s future.
Claudio Ranieri suggests Enzo Maresca to Roma
Roma boss Claudio Ranieri, 73, is a football icon for a long and successful managerial career. In particular, he had four years as Chelsea manager between 2000 and 2004, plus he led Leicester City to their shock Premier League title in 2016.
According to TEAMtalk, Ranieri will step back into a behind-the-scenes role next season at Roma.
Apparently, he’s personally recommended Chelsea’s Maresca as an ‘ideal contender’ to replace him in the manager’s dugout in Rome. The Serie A club agree that he fits perfectly with what they’re looking for in their next appointment.
The report says that Roma are strongly considering an approach for Maresca this summer, but there are a couple of major obstacles they’ll need to overcome to get their man.
It is explained that the Italian giants would only have a real shot at tempting Maresca to them if Chelsea decide to part ways with him in the summer. If that happens, Roma will make a strong effort to make him part of their project.
In addition, matching his existing wages of just over £80,000-a-week could be an issue.
| Club | Matches | Wins | Draws | Losses |
| Chelsea | 53 | 32 | 9 | 13 |
| Leicester City | 53 | 36 | 4 | 13 |
| Parma | 14 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
Joe Cole has urged Chelsea to stick with Enzo Maresca even if the team misses out on Champions League qualification.
Mauricio Pochettino was only at Stamford Bridge for a season before his exit by mutual consent, so will his successor follow in his footsteps this summer?
Enzo Maresca is admired by numerous clubs because he’s viewed as a talented young coach. Eventually, it feels like Chelsea need to stick with one individual for an extended period, or else they will be stuck in the same cycle.
What Jamie Carragher predicted about Enzo Maresca in pre-season
Prior to the 2024/25 season kicking off, Jamie Carragher made a bold prediction about Enzo Maresca. He said: “I’d be surprised if Maresca’s the manager there at the end of the season, very surprised.”
In fairness, Maresca’s made it through the campaign so far, receiving a lot of praise for his team’s performances in the first half of the season.
However, the noise around the Blues manager is getting louder as the pressure intensifies.
It does feel like they need a very strong finish to salvage the season by qualifying for the Champions League.
