3 Replacements for Enzo Maresca That Chelsea Should Go For Including This Barcelona Legend | OneFootball

Chelsea have parted ways with Enzo Maresca, leaving the club hunting for another head coach to sort out their talented but underachieving squad. This time around, the owners need someone who slots into the Blues setup, rather than chasing a headline-grabbing name. But this is Chelsea, so who are we kidding!

Liam Rosenior

Liam Rosenior feels like the most natural in-house step for Chelsea, given his impressive work at Strasbourg and his existing relationship with the ownership group. He has already shown he can work within a data-led, youth-focused framework, which mirrors the conditions any Chelsea coach has to accept.

On the pitch, Rosenior wants his side to dominate possession, press aggressively and build patiently from the back, an approach that would translate smoothly to a squad packed with technical, press-resistant youngsters. His reputation for man-management and creating a tight dressing-room culture would also be a welcome change after reports of tension between Maresca and the club’s leadership.

Xavi Hernandez

If Chelsea decide to lean into a marquee appointment, Xavi Hernandez is already near the top of many bookmakers’ lists for the Stamford Bridge hot seat. The Spaniard has been out of work since leaving Barcelona in 2024, yet his CV still carries the cachet that appeals to owners looking for both on-pitch improvement and global branding value.​

Tactically, Xavi is wedded to a possession-heavy, positional play structure that would suit Chelsea’s technically gifted core, especially in midfield and the half-spaces. He has also shown a willingness to trust young players in high-pressure environments, something that should appeal to a board who have invested heavily in potential over proven experience.

Marco Silva

LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 27: Marco Silva, Manager of Fulham, looks on prior to the Premier League match between West Ham United and Fulham at the London Stadium on December 27, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Marco Silva represents the more pragmatic Premier League option, already strongly linked in the early conversations around Maresca’s successor. His work at Fulham has earned widespread respect, blending structured organisation off the ball with enough attacking freedom to make his teams genuinely awkward opponents for the league’s top teams.

In Chelsea’s context, Silva offers a coach who knows the Premier League inside out, understands the weekly grind and has a track record of improving players without needing total control of recruitment. He might not be the flashiest name, but his balanced game model and adaptability would bring a degree of stability that the club have sorely lacked in recent seasons.

Why These Three Fit Chelsea

All three fit the overarching Blues vision in different ways and provide a clear counterpoint to the Maresca experiment, which unravelled amid poor results and off-field friction. Rosenior gives the project coach already embedded in the multi-club structure, Xavi offers the superstar tactician with elite-club pedigree, and Silva provides a proven Premier League operator who can steady the ship without stifling the squad’s potential.