Breaking News: Italian coach Enzo Maresca departs Leicester to take over as Chelsea’s head coach in place of Mauricio Pochettino.
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The 44-year-old leaves Leicester after taking the team back to the Premier League by winning the Championship. He takes over as Mauricio Pochettino’s successor at Stamford Bridge.
Maresca, who was Chelsea’s top pick from a shortlist that included Roberto De Zerbi, who departed Brighton at the conclusion of the season, Ipswich’s Kieran McKenna, and Brentford’s Thomas Frank, has signed a five-year contract at Stamford Bridge with an additional one-year option.
Chelsea’s co-sporting directors, Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, released the following statement: We are thrilled to welcome Enzo to Chelsea. He has demonstrated that he is a superb coach with the ability to produce outstanding outcomes in a captivating and recognisable manner.
We had been really impressed with Enzo during our conversations before his appointment. His goals and work ethic are in line with the club’s. We are really excited to collaborate with him.”
Any coach’s desire is to join Chelsea, one of the top clubs in the world,” stated Maresca. That is the reason this possibility excites me so much.
Together with the staff and a highly talented set of players, I’m looking forward to building a team that will make our supporters proud and carry on the club’s successful history.”
It’s believed that Chelsea spent between £8 million and £10 million to get Maresca out of his Leicester deal.
Having previously worked with Maresca at Leicester, Willy Caballero, Danny Walker, Michele De Bernardin, Marcos Alvarez, Javi Molina, and Roberto Vitiello join him at Chelsea.
Winstanley and Stewart oversaw the appointment process, having met with Maresca in person last week in Marbella.
It is thought that Maresca’s “champion’s mindset,” his concentration on the team’s desired style of play, his passion for the position, and the depth of the Italian’s knowledge about their roster during discussions with his representation impressed Chelsea.
Maresca was the front-runner to succeed Pochettino, who departed by mutual consent two days after leading Chelsea to a sixth-place Premier League finish, due to his fixation with possession and positional play.
Maresca’s contract is long, indicating that Chelsea is committed to rebuilding the team’s long-term success. Senior Chelsea officials think Maresca is the last missing component needed to complete the club’s new, contemporary structure.
Chelsea anticipates a hectic summer in the transfer window as players come and go. A new centre back and number nine are expected to be signed through trade, and top earners like Romelu Lukaku and Kepa Arrizabalaga need to have their contracts addressed.
