Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca maintains that it is merely a matter of time before his newly and expensively reconstructed team rises up to challenge Manchester City for the coveted Premier League title. The optimism from Maresca comes as he navigates his role as Chelsea’s sixth manager during a particularly troubled period for the club since Todd Boehly’s consortium took ownership in 2022.
Maresca was brought in from Leicester City during the close season, following a notable stint where he successfully led Leicester to promotion from the Championship last season. This marks a challenging transition for him as the Blues finished a significant 28 points behind the reigning champions, Manchester City, in the previous season. Moreover, Chelsea has gone through substantial upheaval this summer as Boehly embarked on an extensive spending spree, which has resulted in Maresca now managing a squad that is dangerously bloated with talent.
As Maresca prepares for his Premier League debut, he faces a baptism of fire against Manchester City during their visit to Stamford Bridge this Sunday, marking the start of City’s bid for an impressive fifth successive title. Despite the immense pressure, the 44-year-old Italian, who previously served on the coaching staff under City manager Pep Guardiola prior to his brief but impactful tenure at Leicester, believes that Chelsea can pose a significant challenge to his former club if he is granted the necessary time to implement his vision.
In remarks made to reporters on Friday, Maresca expressed, “For me, my personal opinion, the big difference in this moment between us and other teams that are dominating English football, is just a matter of time.” He pointed out the importance of stability, noting, “Clubs that have worked with the same manager nine years, eight years. We’re working with the same manager for one month.” His reflection on the situation emphasizes the need for continuity to build a competitive team.
Maresca remains hopeful and states with conviction, “For sure with time, we are going to close the gap. Hopefully, it can happen very soon.” The recent departure of Mauricio Pochettino, who left Chelsea by mutual consent at the end of last season, was the latest in a series of managerial changes at the club, following short-lived tenures of Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter, both of whom also struggled under the demanding expectations set by Boehly.
In a bid to stabilize the team and generate successful results, Boehly is now looking for Maresca to replicate the success that Mikel Arteta achieved with Arsenal, especially given Arteta’s learning period under Guardiola at Manchester City. To support his new head coach, Boehly has made significant financial investments, bringing in a total of 10 new players this summer at an expense of around £185 million (approximately $238 million). This spending spree has pushed the number of players in Maresca’s squad to an overwhelming total of 43.
Maresca is confident about the direction in which the team is heading, asserting, “I’m one hundred per cent sure that this team is getting better, game after game. With time we are going to close the gap on City, Arsenal, (teams) who are dominating English football.” He expressed a relaxed demeanor regarding the time it may take to achieve these goals because he can visibly witness the team’s improvement. He stated, “It’s the only thing that I can control.”
In terms of player availability, Chelsea’s midfielder Conor Gallagher, who has been the focus of transfer speculation, particularly regarding a proposed move to Atletico Madrid, has been training apart from the rest of the squad for the time being. His transfer situation remains in limbo after Chelsea’s negotiations with Atletico regarding striker Samu Omorodion reached an impasse. Maresca addressed Gallagher’s condition by stating, “Conor is back, he’s training in this moment a little bit apart.” Consequently, he confirmed that Gallagher will not be involved in the upcoming match against Manchester City because he is currently working through the details of a potential move.
Maresca elaborated further on Gallagher’s predicament, adding, “You know better than me, he’s trying to find a solution with the club. We’ll see what happens.” He concluded with a positive note, expressing hopefulness, “Hopefully for Conor, his situation is going to finish where the player, the club, the manager, all the people involved are going to be happy.”
