Chelsea have pursued the appointment of Enzo Maresca with real conviction and are working diligently to agree on a compensation package in the coming days.
The 44-year-old Italian coach was chosen primarily by sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart from a four-man shortlist over the last week. Co-controlling owner Behdad Eghbali, a key figure in the ownership group, has also been actively involved in London regarding the potential appointment.
The decision to select Maresca was based on a combination of data analysis, interviews, and thorough due diligence.
Chelsea believe Maresca will fit seamlessly into the club’s structure, with the board impressed by his prior knowledge of the squad and his background as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City. The success of Mikel Arteta at Arsenal, after a similar stint at City, also influenced the decision.
Chelsea are committed to building an elite structure and hope that a hands-on, tactically proficient coach like Maresca can maximize the potential of their expensively assembled squad.
There is broad consensus across the club that Maresca is the right choice, despite considering other candidates like Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna, Brentford’s Thomas Frank, and former Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi.
Enzo Maresca is set to replace Mauricio Pochettino, who left the club by mutual consent despite a season that saw Chelsea finish sixth in the Premier League, as runners-up in the Carabao Cup, and reach the semi-finals of the FA Cup.
The club will now return to European competition, participating in the UEFA Europa Conference League after missing out last season when they finished outside the European places.
Chelsea are determined to finalise Maresca’s appointment swiftly, aiming to begin the next chapter with a coach they believe can lead the club to new heights.
