Enzo Maresca wants Manchester United job

Ruben Amorim’s early months at Manchester United were never going to be smooth, but the contrast in how turbulence has been handled at Old Trafford compared to west London is becoming increasingly stark.

Amorim formally took charge at United in 2024, inheriting a fractured squad, structural imbalance, and sky-high expectations.

There were periods during the autumn when United’s league position and injury-hit squad fuelled outside speculation about Amorim’s long-term security.

Yet internally the club resisted any knee-jerk reaction, choosing instead to reinforce stability, protect the manager publicly and allow his tactical ideas time to take hold.

That patience is now being rewarded, with United showing clearer patterns of play, improved defensive organisation and renewed belief, underlining why INEOS’ leadership has repeatedly stressed long-term planning over short-term panic.

Across the league, the picture could not be more different at Chelsea Football Club, where Enzo Maresca is increasingly understood to be weighing his future amid internal tension.

While United doubled down on trust when momentum dipped, Chelsea’s environment has reportedly drifted in the opposite direction, creating a scenario where Maresca feels constrained rather than empowered.

Chelsea’s on-field form has dipped sharply, with just one league win from their last seven matches, leaving them fifth in the table, level on points with Manchester United.

Maresca is understood to feel increasingly isolated, believing he has become a convenient target for criticism despite operating within strict internal constraints around squad rotation, youth development and player management.

Manchester United is viewed as a particularly appealing destination should an opening ever present itself. While there is no immediate clarity on when Enzo Maresca would return to the dugout if he were to part ways with Chelsea Football Club, according to London First.

Maresca has grown frustrated by what he views as constant interference, feeling micromanaged rather than empowered, and increasingly at odds with the remit he was sold upon arriving at the club.

At the heart of the strain is Chelsea’s ownership group, Clearlake Capital, with sources pointing to mounting impatience driven by financial considerations tied to Champions League qualification.

Failure to secure a top-four finish could force significant player sales, a scenario ownership is keen to avoid after heavy recent investment, intensifying the urgency placed on results.

Maresca, however, is said to feel that this urgency contradicts assurances given during his appointment, eroding trust and creating a sense of moving goalposts.

Adding another layer of intrigue, Maresca’s reputation has not gone unnoticed elsewhere, with Manchester City insiders believed to admire his positional principles and development work, viewing him as a potential long-term successor to Pep Guardiola.