Chelsea are expected to announce Enzo Maresca as their new head coach on Friday on a five-year contract with the option of a sixth in a significant show of faith from the club’s owners.
Talks with the 44-year-old Italian have gone smoothly all week, building towards an announcement that is now imminent. Leicester City will be due compensation from the switch.
The move will see Maresca succeed Mauricio Pochettino, who parted by mutual consent after a single season in charge in which Chelsea finished sixth in the Premier League.
Maresca was chosen from a final shortlist which also included Roberto De Zerbi, Kieran McKenna and Thomas Frank. Highly rated as a tactician and a former assistant to Pep Guardiola, his appointment has been fully endorsed by Chelsea’s ownership.
Maresca will become the fourth permanent head coach to work under those owners after Pochettino, Graham Potter and Thomas Tuchel.
Mail Sport exclusively revealed on Wednesday how Maresca will have an eight-strong backroom staff with him at Stamford Bridge, including the former Chelsea goalkeeper Willy Caballero as his assistant, with plans to make another two appointments.
Maresca is set to receive a five-year deal at Stamford Bridge, with an additional 12 months as an option, creating a long-term strategy which Blues honchos Behdad Eghbali and Todd Boehly are currently seeking.
It was previously reported that the Blues would back the Italian with four new signings, including goalkeeper James Trafford and attacking threat Victor Osimhen.
Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo is the third name on the list – and Chelsea have already offered him a contract – but the fourth player was not identified.
Leicester are due in the region of £10million in compensation for Maresca’s services, after the Italian spent less than a year at the King Power Stadium despite signing a three-year contract in June 2023.
