Chelsea's Next Manager: The Runners and Riders After Maresca Departs

Chelsea have made headlines once more, this time by terminating Enzo Maresca's employment after barely 18 months at Stamford Bridge. It's the sort of decision that fits perfectly with the club's established pattern of managerial churn—though whether it actually solves anything remains decidedly unclear.

Maresca proved an oddly paradoxical figure in the Chelsea hot seat. He brought silverware to the trophy cabinet, yet never quite established himself as anything more than a temporary fixture. He never appeared to be the fundamental issue plaguing the club, but equally he never felt like the transformative answer either. Now he's history, and the rumour mill churns on.

The odds compilers at oddschecker.com have weighed in with their verdicts on potential replacements. Here's what they're saying:

The Fringe Candidates

Thomas Frank, Vincent Kompany, Luis Enrique, and Max Allegri all share joint ninth-place billing in the betting. Not exactly short odds for any of them.

Roberto De Zerbi sits alongside them at ninth, though the Marseille boss remains a compelling prospect. His eventual Premier League return has long seemed inevitable—the question was always when and where, not if.

The Unlikely Brigade

Gareth Southgate? The market says no, and we're inclined to agree.

Xavi represents an intriguing case. He's the only manager in the top ten currently without employment, and there's every reason to believe he'll manage in the Premier League before long. Yet Chelsea hardly seems like the natural fit. The former Barcelona boss has spoken openly about needing four years at a club to truly impose his vision—a luxury no Chelsea manager has enjoyed since the 1980s.

The Interesting Dilemmas

Oliver Glasner occupies fifth place, and therein lies a genuine quandary. The Crystal Palace manager has exceeded expectations brilliantly at Selhurst Park, though recent form has wobbled—five matches without a win will do that. Does he gamble on a bigger stage at a far more chaotic institution? That's the calculation he faces.

Francesco Farioli, also fifth, arrived at Porto only last summer. His spell at Ajax ended in dramatic fashion with a title collapse, making a Chelsea move seem unlikely despite the club's well-documented appetite for left-field appointments.

The Compelling Alternatives

Andoni Iraola ranks third among the contenders, though his timing couldn't be worse—a ten-match Premier League drought has muddied the waters around an otherwise impressive manager.

Filipe Luis, similarly placed, has been collecting trophies at Flamengo and carries previous Chelsea links. A recently signed new contract with the Brazilian club complicates matters considerably.

The Familiar Faces

Cesc Fabregas sits second. The former Arsenal midfielder has earned plaudits for his work with Como in Italy, and his Chelsea pedigree makes him an obvious candidate. Current reporting, however, suggests he won't be getting the call.

The Front-Runner

Liam Rosenior tops the betting as the overwhelming favourite, which might initially seem bewildering given the roster of established names above him. That reaction typically evaporates once you discover he's currently managing Strasbourg. Suddenly, the logic becomes rather apparent.