Next Chelsea Manager Odds: 8 Top Candidates to Replace Maresca

The Stamford Bridge Blueprint: Who Becomes the Next Chelsea Architect?

Date: January 4, 2026

By: GambleGrounds Editorial Team

The fireworks over the Thames had barely fizzled out on New Year’s Eve before the real explosions began in West London. On January 1st, 2026, Chelsea Football Club did what Chelsea Football Club does best: they burned the script and started again. Enzo Maresca is out. Despite a 2025 that brought some European silverware and a return to the Top 4, the relationship between the Italian "tactical purist" and the BlueCo hierarchy—Behdad Eghbali and Todd Boehly—fractured beyond repair. Reports of a secret meeting between Maresca and Manchester City (to potentially succeed Pep Guardiola) were the final straw.

Now, the "Bomb Squad" is back, the January transfer window is open, and the betting markets at GambleGrounds are in a state of absolute frenzy. This isn’t just a managerial search; it’s a battle for the soul of the most expensive project in sporting history.

Who should lead the Blues? We dive deep into the eight men who could—or should—be the next Chelsea manager.

1. The Internal Logic: Liam Rosenior

If you are looking at the odds-on favorite, you are looking at Liam Rosenior.

Currently managing Strasbourg, Chelsea’s sister club, Rosenior is the ultimate "continuity candidate." In the 18 months since moving to France, the 41-year-old has done exactly what the BlueCo hierarchy dreams of: he has taken a young, high-potential squad and made them play a fluid, data-backed, 3-2-5 attacking system.

Why he’s the favorite:

• The BlueCo Connection: He already reports to the same people. He understands the "data-first" recruitment model.

• The Santos Factor: He has been the primary architect of Andrey Santos’s rise in Ligue 1. He knows how to develop Chelsea's loan army.

• The Cost: Unlike other candidates with massive release clauses, moving Rosenior from Strasbourg to Chelsea is essentially an internal promotion.

The Gamble:

The "Bridge" is a different beast than the Stade de la Meinau. Fans are weary of "potential." They want a winner. If Rosenior is appointed, the pressure will be instantaneous. One bad result and the "Strasbourg B-Team" chants will start.

2. The Tactical Idealist: Roberto De Zerbi

If the Chelsea board wants to continue the "Brighton-fication" of Stamford Bridge, Roberto De Zerbi is the holy grail. Currently at Marseille, De Zerbi is still the most exciting tactical mind in Europe not named Pep.

The Case For:

De Zerbi’s football is heroin for tactical nerds. High lines, baiting the press, and vertical "ping-pong" passing. With players like Cole Palmer and Enzo Fernandez, De Zerbi could theoretically create the most attractive side in the world.

The Human Reality:

De Zerbi is a volcano. He fell out with the Brighton board, and his time at Marseille hasn't been without its public outbursts. At Chelsea, where the hierarchy likes to be "hands-on," a personality like De Zerbi could lead to a spectacular fallout within six months. He is the ultimate "high-risk, high-reward" bet.

3. The Romantic Return: Frank Lampard

He’s already had the permanent job. He’s already had the interim job. So, why are we talking about Frank Lampard again in 2026?

Because right now, Lampard is doing something he never did before: he’s building a reputation from the ground up at Coventry City. As of January 2026, Lampard has Coventry sitting at the top of the Championship, playing a sophisticated brand of football that suggests he’s learned from his past tactical naivety.

The Sentiment:

The Bridge is toxic right now. The fans hate the owners; the owners are frustrated with the fans. Lampard is the only human being on earth who can act as a bridge (no pun intended) between the two.

The Verdict:

Is he ready for a third act? Most analysts say no. But in a crisis, Chelsea often looks for a legend to hide behind. If the Rosenior deal collapses, expect "Super Frank" rumors to intensify.

4. The Elite Outsider: Zinedine Zidane

This is the "White Whale" of the Roman Abramovich era, and it remains the dream for the BlueCo era. Zinedine Zidane has been out of work, waiting for the France job that never quite seems to vacate.

Why he should be the one:

Chelsea doesn't need another "coach" to teach them how to pass in triangles. They have £1 billion worth of talent that needs a leader. Zidane is a master of the "Ego-Manager" role. He walked into a Real Madrid dressing room of icons and won three Champions Leagues back-to-back.

The Reality Check:

Zidane doesn't speak English fluently, and he has notoriously avoided the Premier League because of the "intensity" and the weather. He wants a project where he has total control. Chelsea, with its committee-led recruitment, is the opposite of that.

5. The "Proven" PL Choice: Eddie Howe

Reports are surfacing that Chelsea has "sounded out" Eddie Howe. For the first time in his Newcastle tenure, Howe looks vulnerable. With Newcastle grappling with PSR (Profit and Sustainability Rules) and a shifting boardroom, Howe might feel he’s taken the Magpies as far as they can go.

The Fit:

Howe is the best "improver" in the business. He takes £40m players and makes them look like £80m players. Chelsea has the opposite problem: they have £100m players looking like £30m players. Howe could be the disciplinarian and the structure-builder this squad desperately lacks.

6. The South American Wildcard: Filipe Luis

This is the name that has the "hipsters" excited. The former Chelsea and Atletico Madrid left-back is currently the head coach of Flamengo.

The Profile:

Filipe Luis is a student of the Diego Simeone and Jose Mourinho school of pragmatism, but he’s added a modern, attacking Brazilian flair. He knows the Chelsea "vibe" from his playing days. He speaks multiple languages. He is the "Xabi Alonso" type appointment—a brilliant former player who is a natural-born coach.

7. The Barcelona DNA: Xavi

After his dramatic exit from Barcelona, Xavi Hernandez is available and looking for a point to prove.

The Philosophy:

Xavi would bring a rigid, disciplined 4-3-3 "Juego de Posicion." For a Chelsea team that often looks tactically "messy," Xavi would bring a very clear, very strict identity.

The Risk:

Like Maresca, Xavi is a "system coach." If the players don't fit the system, he doesn't have a Plan B. Do Chelsea fans want "Maresca 2.0" with a more famous face?

8. The Tactical Genius: Cesc Fabregas

He’s a legend at Chelsea. He’s a legend at Arsenal. And right now, he’s a burgeoning legend at Como.

The Rise:

Fabregas is doing something remarkable in Italy, playing a style of football that is both intelligent and pragmatic. He is a shareholder at Como, meaning he understands the "business" side of a club—something the BlueCo owners would love.

The Timing:

It’s likely a year too early. Fabregas is mid-project at Como, and moving to Chelsea now could be "too much, too soon" (see: Graham Potter). But as a long-term play? Cesc is the smartest man in the room.

The GambleGrounds Final Analysis: Who to Bet On?

If you’re putting your money down today, here is how the landscape looks:

1. The Safe Bet: Liam Rosenior. He fits the model, he’s already "in-house," and the players expect him.

2. The Value Bet: Eddie Howe. If he decides his time at Newcastle is up, he is the perfect "proven" candidate to stabilize the ship.

3. The Longshot: Frank Lampard (Interim). If Chelsea loses to Man City this weekend under interim Calum McFarlane, the panic button will be pressed.

Final Thought:

Chelsea FC in 2026 is a paradox. It is the most attractive job in the world (the squad is incredible) and the most terrifying (the shelf life of a manager is shorter than a pint of milk).

The board needs to stop looking for a "tactician" and start looking for a Manager. Whether that’s the internal promotion of Rosenior or the external coup of Howe, the clock is ticking.