By Songu Michael
Chelsea have officially named Enzo Maresca, formerly of Leicester, as their new head coach, as reported by British media on Thursday evening.
The Daily Telegraph reported that the Italian tactician would be joining the Blues on a five-year deal, with the possibility of extending for another year, in an effort to bring stability to the club following two turbulent years under the new leadership of US investors Behdad Eghbali and Todd Boehly.
Maresca, who served as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City until recently, successfully guided Leicester back to the Premier League immediately after their relegation a year ago. His strategic approach to the game has caught the attention of Chelsea’s top executives.
Chelsea, based in London, was in search of a new manager following the departure of Mauricio Pochettino. Pochettino’s tenure at Stamford Bridge lasted only one season, with Thomas Frank from Brentford and Kieran McKenna, who guided Ipswich to promotion ahead of Leicester, also being considered for the position.
Pochettino’s exit came after Chelsea finished sixth in the Premier League, securing a spot in the Europa Conference League but missing out on Champions League qualification and silverware. The team narrowly lost the League Cup final to Liverpool in extra time and were defeated by Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-finals by the same score.
Despite the setbacks, signs of progress were evident in Pochettino’s final days with Chelsea, as the team closed out the season with five consecutive victories, ensuring their participation in European competitions next season.
