Liam Rosenior faces 'unsustainable' Chelsea transfer problem after Enzo Maresca not backed in one key area

New Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior will be forced to deal with an 'unsustainable' Blues transfer problem after the board failed to back Enzo Maresca in a particular area, a Blues trophy winner has exclusively told Sports Mole.

Former Strasbourg and Hull City boss Rosenior will soon begin work at Cobham after being appointed as Chelsea's new head coach on a six-year contract, replacing Maresca following his bombshell departure on New Year's Day.

The Italian exited his position after a breakdown in his relationship with the hierarchy, who supposedly refused to give him the power he craved in the transfer market and stuck staunchly to their recruitment model, much to Maresca's chagrin.

Rosenior already has close ties to BlueCo and their processes from his time at Strasbourg, but former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin has warned his erstwhile club that their transfer model cannot work in the long run, a concern with the new boss tied down to a six-year contract.

The 62-year-old claimed that Chelsea never backed Maresca in the centre-back area, although he did offer one argument in support of the hierarchy holding all the power when it comes to transfers.

Chelsea hire "malleable" manager to bow to 'unsustainable' recruitment model

“It isn't sustainable," Nevin said of Chelsea's recruitment model. "The top managers around the world – particularly if they're ex-players particularly or have done a lot of other good stuff - don't expect to be told by a group of people who have never kicked a ball and never managed a game what to do.

“What you need to do is either come to an agreement with the new guy saying ‘you're used to this but you're not getting it now’, or else get a younger person who's more malleable. I think that was the problem with Maresca, because he kept on saying they're not backing me.

“When people think backing me in a transfer window, I don't think that's what he was saying. He was saying, ‘I told them what I wanted. I wasn't getting it’. Particularly in the centre-back area, but one or two others as well. And when the flank gets aimed at the manager, he's going ‘That's not my call. You've got to stand behind my shoulder.’ But that doesn't happen.

“And then you have a real breakdown in relationships. I've been a chief executive before, I understood the dynamics that happen. The harsh thing is, there's no right or wrong. Why shouldn't the owners - the people that are using all the tools, all the tech, AI, and data that they can to get the best players – say we don't care what the manager thinks because he's too busy doing the first team?

“That's a perfectly reasonable point of view. As long as the people that are doing that then stick their hand up and go, ‘we've got a problem.’ And that sadly never happens.”

What transfers could Chelsea make in January window?

Central defenders have been the theme for Chelsea in the early days of the January transfer window, although it appears that the West London giants will miss out on the signature of ex-academy product Marc Guehi.

Manchester City are believed to be working on a move for the Crystal Palace captain this month, and their interest could also press Liverpool into action following their failed £35m deadline-day move.

Nottingham Forest's Murillo is also likely to prove out of reach over the winter, but Rennes' Jeremy Jacquet could be a viable - albeit inexperienced - option for the second half of the season.

Further forward, Chelsea have been heavily linked with Lille's teenage midfield sensation Ayyoub Bouaddi, while a former Manchester City youngster has also been tipped to make a shock move to Stamford Bridge.

Interim manager Calum McFarlane will remain in charge for Wednesday's West London derby with Fulham before handing the reins over to Rosenior, and the Under-21s boss delivered a positive triple injury update before the all-capital clash.

Pat Nevin was speaking to Sports Mole on behalf of Betwright football betting.