Enzo Maresca is expected to sign a five-year contract at Chelsea, while Todd Boehly deals the final blow to Mauricio Pochettino’s departure. The Argentine left Chelsea by mutual agreement last week and brought Les Bleus back to Europe this season.
Pochettino managed five direct wins to end the Premier League crusade – smartly enough to secure sixth place.
However, disagreements over the direction Chelsea will take next season led Pochettino to resign and leave after less than a year in charge.
That meant Chelsea were looking for their sixth manager, the fourth permanent, since Boehly took over, according to The Athletic, most likely Maresca.
But in a major blow to the outgoing coach, the Blues’ hierarchy would have presented Maresca with a contract of at least five years, more than double the length presented to the more experienced Pochettino last year.
It’s a wonderful show of confidence in the Italian, whose Leicester City side finished top of the league standings last time out.
However, aside from her 97-point crusade in the Foxes’ rankings, Maresca has had a combined managerial career.
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His only other tenure as head coach lasted just 14 games, and Maresca won just four of those games while in Parma.
By contrast, prior to this season, the 44-year-old had enjoyed good luck as an assist, most notably Manchester City’s historic crusade last year.
It was this success, whether at City or Leicester, that attracted Chelsea’s hierarchy, with sporting co-administrators Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley seeing Maresca as the most productive guy to take the capital club forward for the long term.
The two-time European champions will meet with Maresca to negotiate, after submitting a formal form to Leicester on Monday afternoon.
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Maresca’s first task will be to find a consistent balance in an aspect of Chelsea that has struggled to maintain form and consistency since Boehly has been co-owner.
Of the 10 youngest average XI in the Premier League this season, seven of them have been lined up through Chelsea, illustrating just how cute the Blues squad are.
If Maresca appears as Chelsea manager, he will have his first chance to see his players when those not involved abroad return to their pre-season education in early July.
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