Chelsea are considering a move for Iraola who is a “better manager” than Arteta
Chelsea’s defeat to rivals Manchester United on Saturday evening was a devastating blow to Liam Rosenior for a number of reasons, not least the contrasting approaches of the two clubs in recent months.
There was only one week between the appointment of Rosenior and his colleague, Michael Carrick, however while the latter presided over a resurgence at Old Trafford, the Blues have gone backwards since the departure of Enzo Maresca.
Indeed, Rosenior leaves his position with the Blues struggling in seventh place, having collected just 17 points in his 13 Premier League games in charge.
Carrick, by comparison, has guided United to a third-place finish, collecting 26 points from his 12 league games so far, losing just twice.
|
Chelsea Managers – PL PPG* |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Coach |
Games |
PPG |
|
Grant |
32 |
2.32 |
|
Mourinho |
212 |
2.19 |
|
Count |
76 |
2.14 |
|
Ancelotti |
76 |
2.07 |
|
Benitez |
26 |
1.96 |
|
Scolari |
25 |
1.96 |
|
Thuchel |
63 |
1.94 |
|
Hiddink |
34 |
1.94 |
|
Sarri |
38 |
1.89 |
|
by Matteo |
23 |
1.83 |
|
*Top 10 – since 2000 |
||
The Stamford Bridge club saw their Champions League ambitions go up in smoke, with the next manager dealt a heavy hand this summer.
Who could Chelsea hire to replace Rosenior
Even with the FA Cup semi-final looming, the Blues do not appear to be willing to make a temporary appointment for the remainder of the campaign, with Callum McFarlane set to make a move until the summer.
That will buy BlueCo time to make the right call when it comes to their next permanent hire at Stamford Bridge, with a number of high-profile managers set to be on the market at the end of the season.
Among those is Andoni Iraola, following confirmation that he will leave Bournemouth when his contract expires, and the former manager of Rayo Vallecano is certainly on the list to step into Rosenior’s shoes.
That was confirmed by TEAMtalk, however the report also suggests that Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner is also being considered.
As Iraola, the Austrian boss faces the exit door at Selhurst Park with his contract set to expire in June, the FA Cup winner has made no secret of his desire to move on this campaign.
Why Glasner would be better than Iraola
Iraola, currently enjoying a 14-game unbeaten run in the Premier League with the Cherries, is certainly an attractive target due to the good work he has done on the south coast, in addition to keeping the club afloat despite key departures, be it Antoine Semenyo or Dean Huijsen.
All current managers in the 2025/26 Premier League are listed
All current Premier League managers ranked from best to worst.
Glasner, to his credit, has done the same in south London, however, even if he has been more vocal about his frustration with his squad’s formation, with Palace losing the likes of Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi in recent years.
Despite the existing rift between Glasner and the Eagles support, there is no denying that he has been outspoken at the club, perhaps representing an upgrade for Iraola given his track record in pursuit of silverware.
Indeed, the 51-year-old led his current side to their first ever FA Cup triumph last season, beating Manchester City in the final, and subsequently eliminated Liverpool on their return to Wembley in the Community Shield.
Conference League glory may await in May, all being well, with Glasner previously enjoying European success at Eintracht Frankfurt, after beating the likes of Barcelona en route to winning the Europa League in 2022.
Apart from the Cypriot Cup at AEK Larnaca, Iraola’s managerial career so far has not been very fruitful, thus giving Glasner the edge in that regard.
Such experience of winning at the highest level also saw the Palace boss hailed by Jamie O’Hara as “a better manager” than Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta, with the Spaniard having just won the FA Cup himself after more than six years at the Emirates.
The title looks set to slip away from the Gunners again, and there is no guarantee of long-awaited Champions League success, ensuring Arteta can once again end the season empty-handed.
Glasner, unlike the Basque pair, has now proven that he can claim silverware at more than one club, and somehow against the odds, he’s ensured that he can be the man to get Chelsea back to winning ways.
His football may not be flashy, but boy does it work, while the way he has nurtured youngsters like Adam Wharton should be music to the ears of the BlueCo regime.
Proven in the Premier League and proven to win major trophies – what’s not to love?
Own Arteta: Chelsea in talks to hire “world’s best young coach”
He would be an excellent choice.
