Chelsea are reportedly considering several options as they look for a replacement for Enzo Maresca, including Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola.
Maresca left his post at Chelsea today and there is understandably a lot of speculation about who could come next for the Blues.
One of the main names linked because he is already a BlueCo employee is Strasbourg head coach Liam Rosenior, who is highly rated at Stamford Bridge, according to Fabrizio Romano in his X post below…
?? Chelsea will appoint a new manager very soon, it won’t take weeks or a lot of time. The club is now working on it.
Liam Rosenior, highly appreciated internally after his excellent work in Strasbourg since he is one of the contenders.
The decision will be made in a few days and will not take long. ? pic.twitter.com/WefPgy7z7J
-Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 1, 2026
However, there could also be other names to watch, with the Daily Mail reporting that Cherries boss Iraola is also a candidate on Chelsea’s list.
Andoni Iraola ticks all the boxes for Chelsea
Iraola has done a hugely impressive job at Bournemouth, working well on a limited budget to play attractive football with talented young players.
All in all, this sounds like precisely what the Chelsea board are looking for, with Jamie Redknapp explaining below why he considers the Spanish tactician to be one of the best managers in the world right now, who could be at home at any big club…
“I think he can lead any team in world football”?
Jamie Redknapp says Bournemouth must take advantage of Andoni Iraola while he is at the club? pic.twitter.com/qGLSWKPrK4
– Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 3, 2025
Bournemouth drew with Chelsea in their Premier League clash earlier this week, and it will certainly be interesting to see if they end up making a quick return to west London.
It’s only a matter of time before Iraola joins a bigger club, with the 43-year-old having also been linked to Manchester United by TEAMtalk and others.
| Andoni Iraola at Bournemouth | 107 games |
| Victories | 39 |
| Prints | 29 |
| Losses | 39 |
Next Chelsea manager – other names to watch
Iraola and Rosenior will surely not be the only names retained by CFC, with the Mail also mentioning Marseille boss Roberto de Zerbi.
Elsewhere, it wouldn’t be at all surprising if impressive Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner was also considered, or a currently unemployed big name like former Barcelona boss Xavi.
For now, however, the main names appear to be Rosenior and Iraola, with the former probably the most likely.
