Sports
Chelsea considering hiring Rosenior upgrade who’s “so similar” to Maresca
It has been a hectic start to the new year for Chelsea. After a torrid run of form in December, the Blues’ owners decided to sack manager Enzo Maresca on New Year’s Day.
It was certainly a snap decision, and despite rumours, it seemed that there was a chance he might stay at the club.
But, it wasn’t to be the case, with the Italian removed from his post after winning two trophies in 2025, including the Club World Cup.
With under-21s manager Calum McFarlane set to take charge of the West Londoners against Manchester City this weekend, the search is now on for a new manager.
Well, rumours are already beginning to intensify about who that may be.
Chelsea’s candidates to replace Maresca
It seems that there is one name consistently coming up when it comes to Maresca’s replacement in the hotseat at Stamford Bridge. That man is Liam Rosenior, who is in charge of Chelsea’s sister club RC Strasbourg.
However, if a move for Rosenior doesn’t materialise, the club’s owners, BlueCo, could well cast the net further afield in their search for a new boss. According to BBC Sport, one of the names in contention is Porto manager Francesco Farioli.
The Italian, who is just 36 years of age, has ‘been mooted as a potential contender’ according to BBC reporters Sami Mokbel and Nizaar Kinsella.
He still has 18 months left on his contract, so it seems likely that Chelsea would have to pay compensation to bring him to West London.
Why Farioli would be an upgrade on Rosenior
Although Farioli has only been at Porto since July 2025, he has already made a fantastic start to life in Portugal. It comes after building up a good reputation in Ligue 1 with OGC Nice, whom he managed for a season in 2023/24, prior to joining Ajax for 2024/25.
Indeed, the start Farioli has made in charge of the Portuguese giants has been impressive. In 26 matches so far across all competitions, the Italian, most often deploying a 4-3-3 formation, has led his side to 22 wins.
His side have dominated games, scoring 56 times and conceding just 13.
|
Farioli record at Porto (all comps) |
|
|---|---|
|
Stat |
Number |
|
Preferred formation |
4-3-3 |
|
Matches |
26 |
|
Wins |
22 |
|
Draws |
2 |
|
Losses |
2 |
|
Goals for |
56 |
|
Goals against |
13 |
|
Points per game (league only) |
2.88 |
|
Stats from Transfermarkt |
|
You can certainly draw comparisons between Farioli during his spell at Ajax and Maresca at Chelsea. Eif Soccer’s Marc Geschwind said the situations at each club were “so similar,” with both having to work with “incompetent management” in their old roles.
Indeed, things were tough at times for Maresca during his stint at the Bridge. There was a reported “lack of protection and interference leading to critical issues with ownership,” which Farioli might have to contend with.
His time at Ajax – which ended with a narrow title miss in the Eredivisie – might stand him in good stead, in that sense.
Rosenior, meanwhile, has done well at Strasburg during the 18 months he’s managed the club.
Last term, he guided Le Racing to seventh in Ligue 1, steering them to the Conference League and playing some excellent football along the way.
His record overall for the club is certainly impressive. In 62 games at the club so far, he’s won 32 and lost just 16 times.
The London-born manager has certainly done well in Ligue 1, and it would be a simple deal for the Blues to do, with Strasbourg being a BlueCo club.
However, it is perhaps less risky to appoint Farioli. Not only has he managed in Ligue 1, thus leaving him with similar experience to Rosenior, but the Italian’s work with Porto has shown he can dominate a league at the highest level.
That is, of course, the ultimate goal for Chelsea. They want to be a possession-heavy, free-flowing side who are able to keep things tight at the back. In a short few months in Portugal, Farioli has shown he can do that.
Rosenior might be the safe option. Yet, perhaps the Porto boss, who is more used to working under a stricter regime, has football that is more scalable to a top side, which Chelsea are hoping to be.
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