Chelsea have agreed to appoint Leicester City manager Enzo Maresca as their new manager at Stamford Bridge, per Fabrizio Romano.
Chelsea have made a formal approach to Leicester City’s Enzo Maresca, as he emerges as the frontrunner to replace Mauricio Pochettino at Stamford Bridge after impressing the Chelsea hierarchy with his success at Leicester City.
The Italian becomes the fourth permanent manager of the Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali era since the club was taken over in 2022.
The former midfielder, who enjoyed a playing career spanning over two decades, has quickly established himself as one of the most promising young managers in English football. His success at Leicester City, where he guided the Foxes to the Championship title in his first season in charge, has not gone unnoticed by the powers that be at Chelsea.
The London club’s co-sporting directors, Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, have been particularly impressed by Maresca’s attractive, possession-based style of football. The duo believe that the Italian’s philosophy aligns perfectly with the club’s long-term vision and thereby put forward Maresca as the outstanding candidate for the role. The club’s owners are now believed to be convinced of his suitability and are eager to bring him on board.
Supporters were left in shock after the Blues’ hierarchy decided to part ways with Mauricio Pochettino at the end of the 2023/24 season, following an upturn from bad to good form at Stamford Bridge. One defeat in 15 games ensured that Chelsea finished 6th in the table, having periodically dropped into the bottom half at points in the season.
Nevertheless, Pochettino left the club by mutual consent following the conclusion of the season, with Eghbali and sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley beginning a thorough process to appoint his successor.
Maresca, Thomas Frank, Kieran McKenna and Roberto De Zerbi were all in the running, but it was the former who will now take the reins at Stamford Bridge.
Enzo Maresca Contract Length
As per Italian Journalist Romano, Maresca has signed a five-year deal with the West-London outfit, with the option of a sixth – which could take him until June 2030 – illustrating the Blues’ long-term thinking with the appointment.
Formerly assistant to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, the ex-Leicester City chief comes into the job having led the Foxes to the Championship title and promotion to the English top flight.
How Much Maresca Will Cost Chelsea
Chelsea’s high spending has been a big topic of discussion in the Boehly era and it looks as though their finances will take another hit as they will reportedly have to stump up somewhere between £8m-£10m to land the Italian from Leicester City.
Compared to some footballers, this might not seem like such a big fee but in the world of managers, it’s quite a sizable chunk.
In fact, it could potentially be the fifth biggest fee ever paid for a coach, with Vincent Kompany’s recent £10.2m move (4th) to Bayern Munich just ahead of Arne Slot (5th) after his arrival at Liverpool for £9.4m.
Looking ahead, Maresca will face a demanding season at the helm of Chelsea. The club could potentially play up to 74 competitive matches across various competitions, including the Europa Conference League, Premier League, domestic cups, and the Club World Cup. This gruelling schedule will put Maresca’s ability to manage a large squad and navigate a congested fixture list to the test.
However, with a talented squad at his disposal and the backing of the club’s owners, Maresca will be expected to hit the ground running and deliver success on multiple fronts. The Italian’s appointment marks the start of a new era at Chelsea, and supporters will be eager to see how he fares in his new role.
