Chelsea are set to appoint Enzo Maresca as their new head coach on Monday, marking the end of Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure at Stamford Bridge.
According to Sky Sports, the 44-year-old Italian has inked a five-year deal, transitioning from Leicester City after successfully guiding them back to the Premier League by clinching the Championship title.
Maresca emerged as Chelsea’s top choice from a shortlist that included Brentford’s Thomas Frank, Ipswich’s Kieran McKenna, and Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi.
The release clause to free Maresca from his contract with Leicester is believed to be between £8 million and £10 million.
In making the move to Chelsea, Maresca will bring along six members of his Leicester backroom staff, notably including former Chelsea goalkeeper Willy Caballero.
The recruitment process was spearheaded by Chelsea’s co-sporting directors, Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, following their mandate from co-owners Behdad Eghbali and Todd Boehly.
Winstanley and Stewart traveled to Marbella for direct discussions with Maresca after Leicester granted permission.
Chelsea were highly impressed by Maresca’s in-depth knowledge of their squad, his vision for the team’s style of play, and his enthusiasm for the role during the talks.
His emphasis on possession and positional play made him the standout candidate to succeed Pochettino, who left the club by mutual consent.
The length of Maresca’s contract underscores Chelsea’s commitment to long-term success and aims to quell any future speculation about contract renewals.
Within the club, senior figures are confident that Maresca will be the final piece needed to complete their modernized structure.
The West London club anticipates a busy summer transfer window, focusing on acquiring a new No. 9 and a center-back, while addressing the futures of high-earners like Romelu Lukaku and Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Chelsea fans have expressed mixed reactions to Maresca’s appointment, reflecting the diverse expectations surrounding this significant managerial change.
“Chelsea have had a very thorough process with Kieran McKenna, Thomas Frank and Roberto De Zerbi all considered, but they feel Maresca is the one for them.
“The others were all very impressive candidates, but Chelsea feel at this moment in time that Maresca is the man for them, and he shares their vision for the future.
“He’s only been a manager for one-and-a-half seasons. He was a manager at Parma in the Italian second division and then he got the Leicester job.
“There have been some issues behind the scenes and not all Leicester fans have been completely happy with him even though he got them promotion back to the Premier League.
“There were problems about recruitment and problems around the fact that Leicester have been charged for allegedly breaking PSR (Profitability and Sustainability Rules) and they’re also under a transfer embargo from the EFL.
“There have been issues, but Chelsea just want a head coach. They want somebody who is going to coach the first-team squad and deal with the media. Everything else, they feel they have in place.
“You have to remember that Mikel Arteta didn’t have any prior experience of having managed in the Premier League before joining Arsenal, but he had worked under Pep Guardiola which is exactly the same as Maresca.
“I’m not saying he’s a better manager than Arteta, but he has more experience than he did when he took over at Arsenal.
“Don’t underestimate the Pep effect. If you’ve worked under Guardiola, you’ve got a head-start when going for these sorts of jobs, however, you still have to impress, which Maresca has done during these talks.
“I’ve been told that his knowledge of the Chelsea squad, including the youth team players is encyclopaedic.”
Despite having managed fewer than 70 senior matches, including just 53 in England and none in the Premier League, Maresca is set to succeed Pochettino at Stamford Bridge, according to Sam Blitz and Ron Walker.
He arrives with high expectations despite his relative inexperience.
The 44-year-old will step into a role similar to that of Claudio Ranieri in 2000, with a clear mandate to secure Champions League qualification.
Pochettino’s unexpected exit from Stamford Bridge was primarily due to Chelsea’s failure to secure a top-four finish. The club’s owners were left wondering why their team wasn’t competing on the same stage as the Champions League semi-finalists they watched in May
Chelsea’s management believes Maresca can achieve more than just Champions League qualification.
They desire a playing style marked by possession and dominance. Maresca’s attachment to and education within Pep Guardiola’s football philosophy significantly influence their decision.
At Leicester, Maresca implemented a Manchester City-esque style of play during his tenure, emphasizing patience and possession. This approach led to Leicester ranking low in forward-pass proportion in the Championship, second only to Southampton in 2023 season.
“Maresca is so embedded in that Guardiola style of play that he was always going to attract interest when he was able to make that style successful – and that’s what he’s done at Leicester,” Jordan Blackwell, Leicester correspondent at the Leicester Mercury, told Sky Sports.
“It felt like the club had thought outside the box to bring Maresca in, a man with a lot of tactical knowledge whose acumen has been raved about. That’s not only as Pep’s assistant but with Man City U21s and a first-team coach at West Ham.”
With the head coach nearly secured, Chelsea’s focus shifts to strengthening Maresca’s squad, according to Joe Shread.
Despite acquiring two goalkeepers last summer, the Blues are seeking a new No. 1 due to Djordje Petrovic’s inconsistencies.
Thiago Silva’s departure necessitates the acquisition of a new center-back. Tosin Adarabioyo, who is out of contract at Fulham, has been offered a deal but faces competition from Newcastle.
The recurring injury problems of Reece James and Ben Chilwell might prompt Chelsea to pursue new full-backs.
Additionally, the search for a reliable No. 9 continues, despite the £84m spent on forwards Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku last summer.
Jackson showed potential in his debut season with 14 goals in 31 starts but hasn’t yet become the reliable target man Chelsea has needed since Diego Costa’s departure in 2017.
Under the Boehly-Clearlake ownership, over £1bn has been spent on transfers in the past two years, and that trend is expected to continue.
