Chelsea Football Club has released a detailed statement explaining the circumstances surrounding the departure of former head coach Enzo Maresca, revealing that the Italian manager resigned unexpectedly in December 2025 while pursuing an opportunity to succeed Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.
The club said it felt compelled to address the issue publicly following recent developments and to provide supporters with a clear account of the events that led to Maresca’s departure on January 1, 2026.
According to Chelsea, the 2025/26 season was a disappointing campaign, with the club believing that the disruption caused by the mid-season coaching change played a significant role in its struggles.
The Blues stated that stability was affected when Maresca chose to leave the club despite being under a long-term contract.
Chelsea revealed that during the autumn of 2025, Maresca informed club officials that there was a possibility he could replace Pep Guardiola at Manchester City at the end of the season.
While the club was aware of the situation, it said it later became clear that the coach was strongly focused on securing the City job.
In its statement, Chelsea expressed disappointment over the manner of his exit, claiming that Maresca abruptly resigned in December.
Club officials said they felt let down, believing that his attention had shifted away from Chelsea and towards another opportunity.
The London club emphasized that changing a head coach during a season is never ideal. However, Chelsea said it had no option but to accept the resignation after concluding that Maresca was unwilling to continue in the role until the end of the campaign.
“To protect our players, supporters and the badge, the club was left with no choice but to accept his resignation,” the statement said.
Chelsea also confirmed that a confidential settlement has been reached with Manchester City as part of the manager’s move to the Etihad Stadium.
The agreement includes compensation paid by City to Chelsea. In addition, a separate confidential settlement was reached with Maresca himself, under which the former coach will also pay compensation to the club.
The statement comes just days after Manchester City officially announced Maresca as Guardiola’s successor, marking the beginning of a new chapter for both clubs as they prepare for the 2026/27 season.
