Chelsea are set to appoint Leicester City manager Enzo Maresca as their new head coach following the departure of Mauricio Pochettino.
The Athletic reports that the Championship winners have granted the west Londoners permission to speak to the Italian tactician and the contract process is expected to be a formality.
Maresca emerged as Chelsea’s primary target after a managerial search that saw the likes of Kieran McKenna, Thomas Frank, and Roberto De Zerbi linked with the vacant job.
McKenna is highly rated in the Premier League after his stellar job at Ipswich Town. He guided the Tractor Boys to a second-place finish in the Championship, securing automatic promotion to the top flight.
De Zerbi was thought to be favoured by Chelsea chief Behdad Eghbali, given his meteoric rise to fame after his exploits at Brighton & Hove Albion.
However, Maresca appears to be edging closer to the Chelsea role in a move backed by co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley.
Maresca’s brand of football bears some striking resemblance to that of De Zerbi, and it is thought that the Italian can thrive with the current crop of youngsters on Chelsea’s roster.
The 44-year-old is now expected to sign a five-year contract with the Blues, which is a bold move considering his only managerial experience was at Leicester City.
Working with Pep Guardiola may have also bolstered Maresca’s credentials within the Chelsea board, who are now convinced he is the man to lead the Blues into the new era.
Maresca will replace Pochettino, who led the Blues back into Europe in the 2023/24 season, finishing sixth in the Premier League table to secure Europa Conference League football.
For now, it’s unclear what Maresca’s primary objectives would be at Stamford Bridge. But another underwhelming campaign will only irk the Chelsea fans who are itching to see their side win silverware.
Leicester will receive compensation for the impending move, which would see Maresca become the sixth manager since the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital-led took over Chelsea two years ago.
