Enzo Maresca negotiated with two major clubs before leaving Chelsea

Coach Enzo Maresca is said to have negotiated with officials from two leading European clubs before parting ways with Chelsea.

Chelsea decided to part ways with Enzo Maresca after he was dismissed on the very first day of the new year due to the prolonged decline of the London club, alongside reportedly strained relations between him and the club’s management.

Immediately following the announcement, many details about Maresca’s exit began to emerge. Notably, he had discussions regarding the possibility of succeeding Pep Guardiola at Man City, the club where Maresca previously worked. Earlier, the Italian coach managed Man City’s U21 team during the 2020/21 season and later served as an assistant to Guardiola. According to sources, Maresca contacted Man City representatives multiple times to discuss the head coach position.

According to The Athletic, at the end of October and mid-December, Maresca proactively informed Chelsea that he was in talks with parties connected to Man City about the potential to become a candidate for the head coach role if there were future staffing changes.

Contractually, Maresca was obligated to report to Chelsea all contacts with other clubs, including Man City and Juventus. However, according to Sky Sports, despite fulfilling this notification duty, he was still considered to have shown “disrespect” to Chelsea by engaging in these discussions.

Reports also indicate Maresca was perceived as lacking mental toughness and emotional maturity, repeatedly disregarding medical advice from Chelsea’s health team. His remarks about his “worst 48 hours” are thought to have stemmed from his reaction to the medical staff’s recommendations.

During his time at Chelsea, Enzo Maresca made a significant impact with important achievements. He directly managed the team in a total of 92 matches, achieving an impressive win rate of 60%. Under his leadership, Chelsea won the UEFA Conference League and the FIFA Club World Cup, adding memorable trophies to the club’s history.