Liam Rosenior leading candidate to be next Chelsea boss as two names ruled out - The Mirror

Chelsea have confirmed the departure of Enzo Maresca with the club's vision on young players and management leading Liam Rosenior to be the early favourite to replace him

Liam Rosenior is the leading candidate to be Chelsea’s next boss. It comes after Chelsea axed Enzo Maresca following a breakdown in the relationship between the Italian manager and the club’s hierarchy.

Maresca’s 18 month reign as Chelsea boss unraveled in just 17 days after he claimed he had endured the worst 48 hours” at the club and then he failed to show up for his post-match press conference after Tuesday’s draw with Bournemouth.

Ex-Leicester boss Maresca also had fall-outs with Chelsea’s medical staff over player availability and a slump in form to just one win in seven Premier League games has prompted a change.

It has cleared the way for Rosenior who is an odds-on favourite with the bookies and is already in charge of Strasbourg who are owned by Chelsea’s parent company BlueCo. Rosenior, 41, has big admirers within the Chelsea hierarchy for his style of football, personality and man-management style.

The ex-Fulham defender had spells in charge at Derby and Hull but has really impressed Chelsea with the job he has done at Strasbourg.

Despite not being a big-name, there is a belief he would win people over with his strong communication, personality and also a clear success with working and championing young players.

Chelsea are looking to make an appointment to replace Maresca as soon as possible, with Under-21 coach Calum MacFarlane taking the press conference before the team's trip to Manchester City on Sunday.

Other names being linked with the job are Como boss Cesc Fabregas as the ex-Chelsea midfielder - who had a hugely successful time at Stamford Bridge including two titles - is not believed to be on the shortlist.

Former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi, now in charge at Marseille, is also a non-starter. Maresca was a fiery manager at Chelsea with public fall-outs and therefore the club hierarchy ae unlikely to go down a similar path with De Zerbi.

Rosenior would be seen as something of a gamble and also in contrast to big-names bosses of the past like Jose Mourinho, Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte.

But Chelsea’s philosophy under joint owners - Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali - and sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart has always been to champion young players and their model has been to develop stars of the future.

That would fit with Rosenior and that is why he is currently the leading candidate although there are others on a very brief shortlist.

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