- EXCLUSIVE from Graeme Bailey
Chelsea are keen to talk to Leicester manager Enzo Maresca after Mauricio Pochettino’s sudden departure from the Premier League giants with the former Manchester City youth coach open to the move.
HITC understands that, following the departure of Pochettino on Tuesday night, Chelsea are wasting no time looking for a replacement.
Todd Boehly, Behdad Eghbali and co are looking for a young, forward-thinking manager keen to engage with their long-term contract, the West London outfit having spent millions on a host of talented teenagers in the Clearlake era.
Estevao Willian will be the latest to arrive, in a potential £60 million deal from Palmeiras.
Chelsea planning for post-Pochettino era
There is interest in Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola and ex-Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan playmaker Thiago Motta, who has guided Bologna into the Champions League for the very first time. Motta, though, appears most likely to end up at Juventus.
Chelsea are admirers of Thomas Frank too, although the long-serving Brentford coach has made no secret of his desire to stay put at The Blues’ local rivals. Vincent Kompany, meanwhile, is expected to make the shock switch from Burnley to Bayern Munich imminently.
This could see Chelsea turn to the two managers who celebrated automatic promotion to the Premier League last season; Ipswich Town icon Kieran McKenna, and Leicester’s Championship-winning tactician Enzo Maresca.
HITC have been told that Chelsea are keen to open discussions with Maresca, and the Italian would be happy to listen to what they have to say. 44-year-old Maresca would favour a move to Stamford Bridge over a return to Sevilla, where he spent four seasons of his playing career until 2009.
Enzo Maresca could hold talks over Stamford Bridge switch
Maresca lasted only 14 games in his first managerial stint – sacked by Parma just a few months into 2021/22 – but enjoyed far more success at Leicester. His Foxes side won England’s second tier with 97 points, eventually getting over the line despite a worrying dip in form after Christmas.
Leicester also dominated 62 per cent of the possession – behind only Russell Martin’s Southampton – and that tactical approach is likely to appeal to the Chelsea bosses.
The influence of Pep Guardiola is clear to see in Maresca’s style, perhaps to be expected given that the one-time Fiorentina, Juventus and West Brom playmaker coached Manchester City’s Under 23 side, winning the Premier League 2 title in 2020/21.
“I am delighted with the work done by Enzo Maresca in the Elite Development Squad,” Guardiola told Tuttomercatoweb, drawing comparisons between the ex-Italy U21 ace and another promising young coach who cut his teeth at the Etihad.
“I have the feeling in the future he will be an extraordinary manager, like (Arsenal’s) Mikel Arteta.”
Can Maresca emulate Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal success?
Harry Winks, who lost his way at Tottenham and joined Leicester in search of a fresh start, is one of many who benefitted from Maresca’s arrival at the King Power. One suspects his possession-heavy style would work wonders too for, say, the similarly string-pulling Enzo Fernandez if he was to take the Chelsea job.
“It’s a style of play that I’ve always wanted to play and I’m really, really enjoying it,” Winks told talkSPORT. “(Maresca) is incredible in every way. He’s a manager who I think will certainly go to the very top. His understanding of football is something I’ve never witnessed before.
“I think his approachability and man-management is exceptional. I’ve really enjoyed working for him so much already and I’m still learning so much every day.
“When you go out on the pitch you know exactly what to do and how the opposition are going to operate and what you can do to affect that.
“To do it so simply is the most important thing. That’s a thing a lot of managers probably struggle with – getting the message across, but the gaffer does it so well here.”
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