Despite guiding Chelsea to the final of the UEFA Conference League and keeping them in contention for a place in next year’s UEFA Champions League, there continues to be doubts over the future of their manager, Enzo Maresca.
According to a report by TEAMtalk, AS Roma are strongly considering an approach for the Italian manager this summer after identifying him as a possible replacement for current interim manager Claudio Ranieri.
Despite all the good work that Maresca has done at Stamford Bridge this season, there seems to be doubts over his style of play and ability to lead the Blues going forward, and reportedly, his future hinges on how Chelsea finishes their current season.
Should the Blues decide to relieve their manager of his duties, though, AS Roma would love to bring him back to his homeland.
The report states how the Chelsea manager fits perfectly with the profile that Roma are looking for: young, ambitious, and ready to develop a strong identity for the team over the coming years.
Additionally, it has also been revealed that Maresca shares a great bond with Ranieri, who is currently in charge of Roma on an interim basis, but will step back into a behind-the-scenes role next season.
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And having shared his vision with the Friedkin Group, who run the club, it can be confirmed that wily old dog Ranieri has personally recommended Maresca as an ideal contender to step into his shoes at the Stadio Olimpico.
The two stumbling blocks in AS Roma hiring Maresca
As much as AS Roma would love to hire Maresca, there are a couple of possible stumbling blocks that they need to overcome.
First and foremost is the uncertainty over Maresca’s future. While speculation is still rife over the Italian’s future at Stamford Bridge, it is believed that he will continue in his role if he leads Chelsea to UEFA Conference League glory and helps them secure a spot in next season’s UEFA Champions League.
The other potential stumbling block is Maresca’s salary at Chelsea, which is understood to be around €5m (£4.2m, $5.6m) per season. Roma know they would have to offer similar terms to try and lure Maresca back to his homeland.
But the catch is that Roma are still paying former manager Daniele De Rossi around €3m net per year until 2027.
Despite these possible obstacles, Roma remain keen on hiring Maresca, and it will be interesting to see how things develop over the coming weeks and months of the transfer window.
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