XAVI OR FABREGAS? THE SHOCKING NAMES ON CHELSEA'S NEW YEAR MANAGER SHORTLIST REVEALED TO REPLACE ENZO MARESCA
Enzo Maresca faces the sack at Chelsea. Discover why Liam Rosenior and Xavi are the top contenders to lead the Blues in 2026.
Chelsea might soon be looking for a new coach. There's talk that Enzo Maresca's time could be up before their next match.
The team's performance has slipped, and there's tension behind the scenes. This could mean the club, led by Todd Boehly, will be searching for yet another manager. They've already had Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, and Mauricio Pochettino.
Maresca might be the next to go, and Chelsea has changed managers mid-season before. They're in the running for a top-four spot and are doing well in the Champions League.
This makes the Chelsea job appealing to any manager who might get the call. Starting a job in the middle of the season has its challenges, but the club's willingness to spend money would be a plus.
Despite their recent struggles, Chelsea has a talented, young squad. Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez are a very exciting midfield duo.
Plus, they have talented players like Cole Palmer and Estevao, which means they have the potential to win in the future. With that in mind, here’s a look at who Chelsea might consider if they part ways with Maresca.
Xavi
He's the favourite and currently unemployed, which makes him an attractive option. They wouldn't have to pay a fee to another club to get him. The Spaniard was a great football mind and has proven himself as a manager. He won La Liga with Barcelona but will want to prove himself even more.
Liam Rosenior
Liam Rosenior is making a name for himself at Strasbourg, another club under the BlueCo banner. Bringing him to Chelsea would be easy. Even though he's not managing a big French team, he's showing his skills.
In Ligue 1, Strasbourg is close to a European spot and drew with PSG earlier this year. They're also leading their Europa Conference League group. Rosenior has a history of getting the best out of his players. Ben Chilwell went to France this summer and has returned to form under him.
Oliver Glasner
His reputation has improved since he joined Crystal Palace. He led them to FA Cup glory last year and then won the Community Shield this season. He's done all of this even though the team has lost key players.
Before England, Glasner won the Europa League with Frankfurt. He might be frustrated with the lack of spending on players and might feel he's done all he can with the resources he has.
Unai Emery
Another Premier League manager who is getting the most out of his team. It's hard to know how long the Spanish coach can keep improving Aston Villa. He seems happy and has control at the club, but after disappointing periods at Arsenal and PSG, he might want another shot with a major European team. Getting him from Aston Villa mid-season seems nearly impossible.
Cesc Fabregas
A modern manager who is building an interesting reputation. Fabregas played for Chelsea, winning two titles, and now coaches Como in Italy. His strategies have been praised, and he has the team in sixth place in Serie A, which would qualify them for Europe. He’s beaten teams like Juventus and will want a top job if he gets the chance.
XAVI OPENLY DECLARES INTEREST IN CHELSEA JOB DURING PERMANENT MANAGER SEARCH
With Xabi Alonso and Andoni Iraola on the shortlist, explore why Xavi Hernández wants to take over the Chelsea hotseat next.
Xavi has openly said he’d love to manage Chelsea, and now the Blues are hunting for someone to replace Liam Rosenior.
Rosenior got the sack last month after a rough patch just three months into his huge contract that was supposed to last six and a half years. Calum McFarlane is filling in as interim head coach until season’s end, but Chelsea are actively looking for a permanent boss for the 2026/27 campaign.
They're considering some big names. Xabi Alonso’s been mentioned; he’s been out of work since leaving Real Madrid in January. Andoni Iraola, who’s about to leave Bournemouth, is also on the shortlist.
Cesc Fabregas has been linked after his strong run at Como, and Frank Lampard’s in the mix too, fresh off winning the Championship with Coventry and securing promotion.
But Xavi really stands out. He’s already made it clear he’s interested in the Chelsea job. Back in 2019, before his Barcelona return, he said, “I don’t hide it; my goal is to come back to Europe and to Barca. It's my challenge, but I’m enjoying this current project. For me, training a team in Barcelona would be a privilege, the biggest privilege.”
He didn’t just talk about Spain either. “Honestly, who doesn’t love the Premier League? The atmosphere, packed stadiums, everyone says it’s incredible,” Xavi admitted. “If I had to pick, I’d go for a big team: City, United, Chelsea, Arsenal, or Tottenham. Klopp, Pochettino, and Unai Emery are doing amazing work there.”
After returning to Barcelona in 2021, Xavi led them to a La Liga title and the Supercopa de España before Hansi Flick took over in 2024. He’s been out of work since.
Now, Chelsea seems seriously interested in the Spaniard. According to The i, the club wants someone who can embed a strong football identity across their teams, something Enzo Maresca started.
Getting Xavi won’t be easy, though. Morocco’s national team reportedly sees him as a top candidate to replace Walid Regragui, and Manchester United is eyeing him too as they weigh options beyond Michael Carrick.
Meanwhile, Xabi Alonso is the bookmakers’ favourite for the Chelsea role, but word is he’d want more control over club decisions if he moves to west London.
COLE PALMER MISSES PENALTY AS CHELSEA SUFFER HISTORIC SIXTH CONSECUTIVE LEAGUE DEFEAT
Chelsea matched a 1912 record with their 6th straight loss, falling 3-1 to Forest as Taiwo Awoniyi scored twice at the Bridge.
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Chelsea hit rock bottom again, losing 3-1 to Nottingham Forest at Stamford Bridge. That’s six Premier League defeats in a row now, something the club hadn’t seen since 1912. Just when you thought the season couldn’t get any worse, Forest showed up with a makeshift lineup and absolutely stunned them. Taiwo Awoniyi scored twice, one barely a minute into the match, and then Igor Jesus put away a penalty, and suddenly Forest was six points clear of the drop zone.
Chelsea hadn’t scored in five games, and it looked like that streak would go on forever. Then, in stoppage time, Joao Pedro finally managed an overhead kick to break the drought. That run was made even more ridiculous earlier when Cole Palmer missed a first-half penalty. Matz Sels, Forest’s backup goalkeeper, saved it.
Honestly, the crowd in the Shed End probably barely recognised their own team. Pereira swapped in seven new outfield players, most of them with almost no league experience; he was clearly thinking about the upcoming Europa League semi-final. But it looked like Chelsea was the stranger out there.
Things only got worse for interim head coach Calum McFarlane. He lost Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho to late injuries, so 18-year-old Jesse Derry had to make his Premier League debut. Then, late in the first half, Derry collided heads with Forest’s Zach Abbott and had to be stretchered off after getting oxygen. It was brutal to watch.
The match itself? Chaos. Less than two minutes in, Chelsea messed up their own throw-in and let Forest stroll through midfield. Dilane Bakwa beat Marc Cucurella with little effort and crossed to Awoniyi, who was completely unmarked and headed it in.
Fifteen minutes later, Chelsea conceded again. Bakwa whipped in another cross; Malo Gusto pulled Awoniyi’s shirt, and VAR handed Forest a penalty. Jesus hammered it right down the middle.
The first half was hopeless, and by the end, serious concern set in after that nasty head clash between Derry and Abbott. Abbott, playing just his second league game, left on his own, but Derry needed serious treatment and was stretchered off.
After a nearly ten-minute stoppage, Palmer’s penalty was stopped by Sels. At halftime, Levi Colwill returned from a major injury he hadn’t played since tearing his ACL in August. He tried to restore order, but nothing changed.
Forest’s third goal came just seven minutes into the second half. Gibbs-White crossed, and Awoniyi tapped in from close range, just managing to stay onside. Chelsea’s keeper, Robert Sanchez, took a knock and left with a bandaged head after colliding with Gibbs-White.
Pedro’s late goal barely counted for anything. The few Chelsea fans left in the stadium cheered, but it was more out of irony than joy.
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