Chelsea
Six realistic managerial options for Chelsea after Enzo Maresca’s exit
Chelsea have started 2026 by parting ways with Enzo Maresca and face another managerial hunt. Today.
Chelsea opened 2026 by parting company with Enzo Maresca, leaving the club to hunt for its fifth permanent manager since BlueCo took control in 2022. Thomas Tuchel was replaced soon after the takeover and both Graham Potter and Mauricio Pochettino subsequently failed to satisfy those running the club. Here are six candidates who match the circumstances the owners now face.
Oliver Glasner
Glasner has drawn attention for his work at Crystal Palace and is in the final six months of his contract. He is not expected to extend and could leave at season’s end, or be recruited now if Palace agree a pay-off. A small fee is likely given the time left on his deal, though Palace may negotiate hard. Glasner favors a 3-4-2-1 and uses wide defenders the club’s previous coach rejected, but Chelsea’s large squad means a formation change would be feasible.
Liam Rosenior
Seen in some reports as a contingency plan, Rosenior runs Strasbourg, a sister club. Appointed in July last year, he was previously at Hull City and briefly acted as Derby County caretaker. He was dismissed after missing the Championship play-offs in 2023–24, the same season Maresca won the title with Leicester City. Rosenior took Strasbourg to seventh and refused earlier Premier League approaches before signing a new contract, so a move to Chelsea would be a clear step up.
Cesc Fàbregas
Now at Como, Fàbregas has developed coaching credentials but remains relatively inexperienced. He had 57 matches as a coach at the start of 2026; Maresca had 67 when he was appointed. Fàbregas is contracted to Como until 2028 and also holds shares in the club, complicating any approach.
Andoni Iraola
Iraola transformed Bournemouth after arriving in 2023, lifting them from relegation candidates into the top half. Results have dipped this year, but he is in the final six months of his contract and is expected to attract offers.
Roberto De Zerbi
Reports suggested De Zerbi would have taken the Chelsea job in 2024. His work with Brighton is admired inside the club and his spell at Marseille has impressed. Tactically he appeals, though his abrasive personality and a public dispute with Tony Bloom over a youth-focused transfer approach at Brighton count against him.
Xavi
With more than 200 managerial games, nearly half at Al Sadd, Xavi won the 2022–23 La Liga title with Barcelona and left that job in summer 2024. He is available immediately and is respected for his record with young players; Lamine Yamal made his breakthrough under him. There is a sense he still has much to learn, which could suit Chelsea’s appetite for a project.
Chelsea
Chelsea’s fringe players fall short in five-goal draw with Johor Darul Ta’zim
Chelsea’s youth-heavy side drew 3-3 with JDT, as Delap scored twice but questions remained.
Chelsea ended their Asian preseason tour with a 3-3 draw against Malaysian side Johor Darul Ta’zim on Sunday, a result that left several fringe players still searching for a convincing statement.
The opening period was shaky, but Liam Delap levelled matters before the interval after winning and converting a penalty with a powerful finish. Jamie Gittens then earned another spot-kick on the hour, and Delap dispatched that too. Even so, JDT responded quickly, with a deflected free kick striking Delap and looping beyond Gabriel Slonina.
Chelsea were then nearly beaten by Bérgson’s low drive, before an own goal arrived after Mykhailo Mudryk’s cross to spare them late frustration.
Xabi Alonso selected a very young side, though Tosin Adarabioyo, aged 28, was still used in the centre of a three-man defence. He was the senior figure in the team, but the match did little to support that role. Tosin looked uneasy in a high line, failed to track the JDT move that led to the opening goal, and later lost his composure in an exchange with Kevin Medina, who had also impressed against Chelsea towards the end of 2025.
The armband went to 21-year-old Dário Essugo instead, underlining the youth of the team. Up front, the contest offered Delap and Nicolas Jackson another chance to show where they fit in a squad that now appears to have one spot left alongside João Pedro, with Emegha injured.
Delap’s two penalties were strong, but the broader impression was of an opportunity not fully taken. Jackson was tidier in possession and looked more settled in Alonso’s structure, yet he too failed to meet expectations.
Chelsea’s discipline also looked fragile. Last season’s concerns had prompted moves for Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck, although neither featured here. Without those calmer heads, Chelsea appeared tense and were repeatedly dragged into confrontations, something Alonso would have wanted to avoid.
Chelsea
Chelsea’s Controlled Win Over AC Milan Offers Early Alonso Clues
Chelsea beat AC Milan 3-0 in Jakarta, with Alonso’s 3-4-2-1, Palestra and set pieces standing out.
Chelsea resumed their preseason with a convincing 3-0 victory over AC Milan in Jakarta on Saturday, a result that offered a clearer glimpse of Xabi Alonso’s thinking as his first summer in charge develops.
The key stretch came immediately after the interval. Pedro finished from close range just 30 seconds into the second half to double the advantage, before Moisés Caicedo added a volley from a corner in the 50th minute to put the game beyond reach.
Overall, it was a composed display from Chelsea, who return to action in less than 24 hours against Malaysian outfit Johor Darul Ta’zim. More importantly, the match hinted at how Alonso may choose to shape his side. While a 4-2-3-1 has been used up to this point, this contest brought the first look at the 3-4-2-1 that brought him success at Bayer Leverkusen.
That system gave the attack a smoother edge in the first half, with Pedro, Cole Palmer and Danny Welbeck combining well. It also appeared to suit a back line built around three natural center backs, with Wesley Fofana, Jorrel Hato and Josh Acheampong all on the pitch together.
The setup also allowed Marco Palestra to underline why Chelsea moved for him this summer. Operating from the left side of midfield, he pushed forward constantly and drifted into central areas, showing the versatility that stood out during his signing.
On the opposite side, Pedro Neto started and contributed well, including the cross that helped create Chelsea’s second goal. Geovany Quenda later came on for Neto and linked up neatly with Palestra, reinforcing the range of options available if Alonso keeps this shape.
Acheampong was another clear beneficiary. Playing on the right of the back three against Rafael Leão, he delivered a strong performance, capped by an excellent first-half challenge to stop the winger.
Chelsea also made their mark from set pieces, scoring twice from corners, something Austin MacPhee will have noted with satisfaction.
Chelsea
Alonso points to Chelsea’s goalkeeping depth amid Costa links
Alonso says Chelsea are happy with Sánchez, Penders and Sharman-Lowe despite Diogo Costa links.
Xabi Alonso has offered a clear indication that Chelsea are content with their current goalkeeping group, despite recent talk of a move for Porto and Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa.
The Chelsea boss said he is satisfied with the options already available to him and pointed to the balance of experience and youth in the squad. “I’m very happy with Rob [Sánchez], Mike [Penders] and Teddy [Sharman-Lowe],” Alonso admitted . “Mike is a young goalkeeper that has done a great season at Strasbourg. Rob, he has played many years in the club, in Chelsea , as well as the Premier League , he has experience.
“So to have this security in the goal is important,” Alonso finished.
Those remarks appear to reinforce the idea that Chelsea may be prepared to begin the 2026/27 season without bringing in a new established first-choice goalkeeper. Costa had been mentioned in connection with the club, with the Portugal international long regarded as one of the strongest goalkeepers outside Europe’s top-five leagues. He also impressed for Portugal at the 2026 World Cup.
Porto’s position has remained firm, with the club saying they would only consider a sale if his $68.7 million (£51 million) release clause is met. Even so, recent speculation has suggested Chelsea have not made an enquiry and are not planning a move at this stage.
The club did explore the possibility of signing Mike Maignan last summer, but that transfer did not come together. Instead, Chelsea continued with their internal options, and that approach now seems to be holding.
Sánchez is expected to start the third consecutive season in goal when 2026/27 begins. He had briefly lost the position to Đorđe Petrović in his first campaign, but improved in 2025/26, even if errors remain part of his profile.
Behind him, Penders remains the understudy. Signed in 2024, the 21-year-old Belgium international has spent the last two seasons on loan, first at Genk and then at sister club Strasbourg.
