Chelsea have announced that Enzo Maresca has departed the club by mutual agreement.
Maresca made a strong start to life at Stamford Bridge, winning the Conference League and the Club World Cup in his first season.
However, the Italian head coach recently fell out with the Blues hierarchy, and the club’s recent results were not good enough to save him.
One of the biggest talking points to come from Maresca’s departure will be the number of incoming transfers completed during his tenure.
With that in mind, The Chelsea Chronicle has ranked all 21 players who joined the West London club under Maresca in descending order.
Enzo Maresca has officially left Chelsea! Who would you like to see replace the Italian? 🤔
Ranking all 21 Chelsea signings under Enzo Maresca
21. Omari Kellyman (£19m from Aston Villa)
Chelsea’s worst signing under Maresca has to be Omari Kellyman, who cost almost £20 million from Aston Villa.
The 20-year-old is not even starring on loan at Cardiff City in League One and is unlikely ever to play for the Blues.
20. Caleb Wiley (£8.5m from Atlanta United)
Caleb Wiley joined Chelsea from MLS side Atlanta United in the summer of 2024 with some optimism that he would develop into a rotation player.
Unfortunately, he has failed to show much promise at either Strasbourg or Watford on loan and will probably leave in the summer.
19. Joao Felix (£45.5m from Atletico Madrid)
Joao Felix was a popular signing because his quick feet and silky dribbling make him entertaining to watch.
However, he never nailed down a place in Maresca’s starting lineup and left the club for a small financial loss after just one full season.
18. Jadon Sancho (Loan from Manchester United)
Jadon Sancho actually contributed more to Maresca’s side last season than people may realize.
The issue with the deal was that the Blues embarrassed themselves by having to pay their way out of an obligation to sign him permanently.
17. Jamie Gittens (£48.5m from Borussia Dortmund)
Jamie Gittens is an exciting prospect, but £48.5m is a lot of money for a player not yet good enough to make the starting lineup.
The former Borussia Dortmund man needs to develop plenty before he can justify his remarkable price tag.
16. Filip Jorgensen (£20.7m from Villarreal)
Filip Jorgensen was supposed to replace Robert Sanchez as Chelsea’s number one goalkeeper, but his move has not worked out.
The Denmark international is a solid backup, but the Blues would probably rather have the £20m back from Villarreal.
15. Kendry Paez (£17m from Independiente del Valle)
Kendry Paez is still only 18 years old, so we may not know whether this was a good signing for several years.
However, the attacking midfielder has not made much of an impression on loan at Strasbourg this season.
Which Chelsea loanee at Strasbourg has the most potential? ⭐️
14. Jorrel Hato (£37m from Ajax)
Jorrel Hato has not impressed in his first six months at Stamford Bridge and fell completely out of favour under Maresca recently.
He was signed as a backup to Marc Cucurella, but he would probably be more comfortable in the centre of defence.
13. Liam Delap (£30m from Ipswich)
Liam Delap earned his £30m move to Chelsea by bullying Maresca’s team at Stamford Bridge last season.
He has been unlucky with injuries this campaign, but that excuse will not save him from being labelled a flop signing if his form does not improve.
12. Alejandro Garnacho (£40m from Manchester United)
The Alejandro Garnacho deal received a lot of criticism at the time, and it has only become less popular throughout the season.
However, people forget that Garnacho cost almost £10m less than Gittens, despite being better at the same age (21).
11. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (£30m from Leicester City)
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was never going to be a key player at Stamford Bridge, but he served his purpose for a season.
The Englishman played a big part in Chelsea’s Conference League success and left as somewhat of a fan favourite.
10. Dario Essugo (£18.5m from Sporting)
Dario Essugo was brought in to be a backup holding midfielder behind Moises Caicedo.
He looked like a decent addition in his limited playing time at the Club World Cup before suffering a long-term thigh injury in September.
9. Tosin Adarabioyo (Free from Fulham)
It’s hard to argue with the signing of Tosin Adarabioyo, a free transfer from West London rivals Fulham.
The 28-year-old offers much-needed experience and solid depth to the Blues centre-back department.
8. Renato Veiga (£12m from Basel)
Renato Veiga played well under Maresca in 2024, and many Chelsea fans would have expected him to have a larger role this season.
Instead, he made the disappointing decision to leave the club last summer, but at least the Blues made a healthy £14m profit on him.
7. Mamadou Sarr (£12m from Strasbourg)
Mamadou Sarr is enjoying an excellent campaign on loan at Strasbourg, where he has even captained the team multiple times.
The 19-year-old has a decent chance of making it into Chelsea’s first-team squad for the 2026/27 season.
6. Marc Guiu (£5m from Barcelona)
Chelsea can be criticised for their obsession with signing young players, but the Marc Guiu deal was a rare example of seizing a golden opportunity.
The 19-year-old has not set the world alight at Stamford Bridge, but there can be no complaints about a £5m deal for a decent backup striker in modern football.
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Liam Delap, Joao Pedro, Pedro Neto, Marc Guiu and Tyrique George
5. Aaron Anselmino (£15.6m from Boca Juniors)
Aaron Anselmino has struggled with injuries on loan at Borussia Dortmund, but he has looked like a future star when he has played.
For less than £16m, he could easily prove to be a shrewd piece of business if his development continues at Chelsea.
4. Mike Penders (£17m from Genk)
Mike Penders is one of the few signings who could vindicate Chelsea’s controversial recruitment strategy.
The youngster has been a revelation on loan at Strasbourg and could replace Sanchez as Chelsea’s No. 1 as early as next season.
3. Pedro Neto (£54m from Wolves)
Pedro Neto has become Chelsea’s most dependable winger since joining from Wolves in the summer of 2024.
If only he improved his output in front of goal, he would be one of the best wide men in the Premier League.
2. Joao Pedro (£60m from Brighton)
Joao Pedro was a controversial signing because fans were not sure whether he was an out-and-out striker or a number 10.
In reality, he is a quality option in both roles and has silenced his doubters with several strong performances already.
How would you rate Joao Pedro’s start to life at Chelsea?
Pleased? Underwhelmed? Let us know!
1. Estevao Willian (£29m from Palmeiras)
Estevao Willian has already become a fan favourite at Stamford Bridge after a handful of stunning displays as a starter and off the bench.
The Brazilian wonderkid is fully expected to develop into a world-class forward and Chelsea are lucky to have him.
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