What Chelsea hierarchy want from next head coach revealed as swift Maresca replacement eyed | OneFootball

Chelsea expect to appoint a new head coach who would succeed Enzo Maresca by continuing to work in the same system to avoid the need to make major changes mid-season, according to reports.

Chelsea had a project in place before hiring Maresca to replace Mauricio Pochettino in 2024, and it is expected to remain in place after they announced the decision to part ways with the Italian on New Year's Day.

According to the Daily Mail, whoever takes over the Chelsea hot seat will be expected to work under the same system at the club.

This makes perfect sense, since the lack of influence that Maresca had at Chelsea outside his role as a head coach was reportedly among the reasons for his departure in the first place.

BBC Sport mentions that sources close to Maresca said the Italian felt he deserved backing similar to that enjoyed by Mikel Arteta at Arsenal, Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, and even Ruben Amorim at Manchester.

IMAGO / LaPresse

This would have included a say in shaping the Chelsea project, similar to how Arteta has a huge influence on Arsenal's transfer policy.

For Chelsea, however, the project is "king", and the club are said to be more comfortable appointing a new head coach rather than ceding any control.

This is nothing new in football, even at Chelsea. Head coaches or managers wanting more control on shaping the future of the club, clashing with the club hierarchy, often do not end up well.

That said, this also implies that Chelsea will be looking for a new head coach who would agree to work within the constraints of the club project.

This could be part of the reasons why Chelsea are reportedly not in the market for high-profile head coaches, such as Zinedine Zidane or Jurgen Klopp, as recently reported by The Telegraph.

IMAGO / Sportimage

While it is not necessarily a bad thing to prioritise the project, this would likely limit Chelsea's options in appointing a successor to Maresca.

The likes of Liam Rosenior (Strasbourg) and Francesco Farioli (FC Porto) have been mentioned among potential candidates. Meanwhile, who will be in charge of the team on the touchline for the clash with Manchester City on Sunday remains unclear.

The Telegraph adds that Chelsea are working quickly to appoint a permanent replacement rather than searching for an interim for the remainder of the season.