Chelsea contenders: An FA Cup winner, former Hull boss and highly-rated Spaniard

Enzo Maresca has left his role as Chelsea head coach after 18 months in charge.

The Italian, who won the Conference League and Club World Cup last season, departs following one victory in the club’s last seven Premier League games after Tuesday’s 2-2 draw with Bournemouth.

Here, the Press Association takes a look at some of the potential candidates to replace Maresca.

Liam Rosenior

The 41-year-old Englishman has emerged as the early favourite among bookmakers. After almost guiding Hull to the Championship play-offs in 2024, he became head coach of Strasbourg, who are owned by Chelsea’s parent company BlueCo. The French club finished seventh in Ligue 1 last season.

Oliver Glasner

Glasner led Crystal Palace to their first major trophy by lifting the FA Cup last season. The 51-year-old Austrian, whose Palace contract expires in the summer, has been linked with number of other clubs amid ongoing speculation about his future.

Andoni Iraola

Maresca went head-to-head with Bournemouth boss Iraola in his final match in charge. The 43-year-old Spaniard has impressed since taking over the Cherries in 2023, securing club-record points tallies in his two seasons on the south coast.

Xavi

The former Spain midfielder, who won the World Cup and two European Championship titles as a player, has been out of work since leaving Barcelona in May 2024. He guided Barca to the LaLiga title in the 2022-23 season, having begun his managerial career with Qatari club Al Sadd.

Cesc Fabregas

Fabregas won two Premier League titles, the FA Cup and the Europa League during his playing days with Chelsea between 2014 and 2019. The 38-year-old Spaniard ended his career with Como before taking over as manager. The Italian side are currently sixth in Serie A.