Chelsea accuses Enzo Maresca of disloyalty following his official appointment at Manchester City
Chelsea have released a stinging statement accusing their former head coach Enzo Maresca of disloyalty, published minutes after Manchester City officially announced the Italian as their new manager. Maresca signed a three-year contract at City after abruptly resigning from the London club on 1 January 2026.
Chelsea publicly settle scores with Maresca
It had been an open secret for months, but once City made the appointment official, Chelsea refused to let it pass without comment. The club published a lengthy statement laying out the circumstances of Maresca's departure in detail and taking direct aim at the former coach's conduct. According to Chelsea, Maresca himself informed the club in the autumn of 2025 that he might be given the opportunity to succeed Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. 'It quickly became clear to us that it was his strong desire to succeed Guardiola and that he was fully focused on that opportunity, despite being under a long-term contract which gave him no right to leave,' the club's statement read. In December 2025, Maresca resigned unexpectedly and abruptly, barely eighteen months after his appointment at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea made no attempt to hide their sense of betrayal: 'We felt his head and heart were at another club and focused on another opportunity, when he had only just begun his time at Chelsea.'
A season derailed by the upheaval
The consequences for Chelsea were severe. In the middle of the season, the club were forced to search for a new head coach — something they described as 'a major contributing factor' to their disappointing 2025/26 campaign. Liam Rosenior, brought in from Strasbourg, a club co-owned by Todd Boehly, stepped in as Maresca's replacement but was unable to turn things around. He was dismissed after just 106 days in charge. Chelsea finished the season in tenth place in the Premier League. The club have since appointed Xabi Alonso as their new head coach, with whom they hope to rebuild on the pitch. 'In Xabi Alonso, we have a manager with an exceptional football mind and the highest integrity,' Chelsea wrote in their statement.
Compensation packages for both City and Maresca himself
Financial settlements have now been reached on both fronts. Manchester City reportedly paid Chelsea a compensation package of £17 million for the right to appoint Maresca. Chelsea also reached a separate settlement with Maresca personally, under which the former coach pays compensation to the club. Both figures remain confidential. 'Given the mutual respect between the clubs, a confidential settlement has been reached with Manchester City, including a compensation payment,' Chelsea confirmed in their statement. 'A confidential settlement has also been reached with the former head coach, under which he makes a compensation payment.' Maresca spent a total of eighteen months as head coach at Chelsea. During that time he led the club to victory in the Club World Cup and the UEFA Conference League in 2025. The first meeting between his new employer Manchester City and his former club Chelsea is scheduled for 12 December.
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Source: Via Teamtalk.com (GNews)
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