Enzo Maresca has described his appointment as Chelsea’s new manager as a dream move.
The 44-year-old Italian has officially closed his move from Leicester to Chelsea, on a five-year contract.
Chelsea has heavily subsidized Maresca as a forward-thinking coach who can lead the Blues into a new era of good fortune under the ownership of Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital.
Les Bleus have even kept the club for another year on their long-term contract, such is the confidence that Boehly, Behdad Eghbali and José Feliciano have in their new coach.
Maresca beat Ipswich’s Kieran McKenna, former Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi and Brentford’s Thomas Frank in the Chelsea position, and their joy at closing the deal.
“Joining Chelsea, one of the clubs in the world, is a dream for any coach,” said the former West Brom, Juventus and Sevilla midfielder.
“That’s why I’m so excited about this opportunity. I look forward to running with a very talented player organization and expanding a team that continues the club’s culture of goodfortune and makes our enthusiasts proud. “
Chelsea’s owners have needed a talented but promising manager around whom to build their tenure at Stamford Bridge since the Blues bought Roman Abramovich in May 2022. Boehly-Clearlake’s management had hoped Graham Potter would be that man, but the former Brighton boss only lasted 206 days on the bench.
Chelsea’s new owners have since combined their footballing design off the pitch and are now confident in the strength of their squad.
Eghbali played a key role in Maresca’s initial recruitment work, before teammates Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart worked out the details.
Winstanley and Stewart had proposed Maresca as the Blues’ first pick for the job and, after internal discussions, the entire Chelsea hierarchy agreed.
Maresca cut short his coaching career alongside Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, first as under-23 coach and then as assistant coach.
Chelsea believe that his possession-based taste and favourite tactical technique will become the best compatibility for the Stamford Bridge team.
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