Chelsea agree deal to appoint Leicester manager Enzo Maresca as club's new head coach; details here

Chelsea have agreed to appoint Leicester manager Enzo Maresca as their new head coach, finalising a five-year deal with an option for an additional season.

Ovaise Shariff

First Published May 28, 2024, 6:35 PM IST | Last Updated May 28, 2024, 6:35 PM IST

Chelsea have reached an agreement to appoint Leicester manager Enzo Maresca as the club’s new head coach. Maresca, 44, has agreed to a five-year contract with the West Londoners, with an option for an additional season.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea will trigger the compensation clause in Maresca’s Leicester contract, which is reported to be around €10 million, after finalizing personal terms. Maresca emerged as Chelsea’s top choice after Mauricio Pochettino’s departure was confirmed following an end-of-season review. The club was impressed with Maresca’s tenure at Leicester, where he led the Foxes to the Championship title last summer.

Before taking over at Leicester, Maresca served as an assistant to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. Known for his attractive and possession-oriented style of football, Maresca guided Leicester back into the Premier League immediately after their relegation the previous season.

Chelsea had considered Kieran McKenna from Ipswich Town and Thomas Frank from Brentford, looking for a manager with experience in English football. The length of Maresca’s contract suggests Chelsea are planning for the long term, contrasting with the short-term deal given to Pochettino in 2023. Maresca will be the fourth permanent manager at Stamford Bridge since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital’s takeover, following Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, and Pochettino.

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