By the end of the week, Chelsea is expected to officially announce the arrival of Enzo Maresca, who will sign a five-year contract with the option for an additional year.
This move follows Leicester City’s Championship victory and promotion back to the Premier League. Mauricio Pochettino, the previous manager, visited Stamford Bridge, setting the stage for Maresca’s imminent arrival.
Legal proceedings between the club and Maresca are nearing completion, with The Daily Telegraph reporting that an official announcement could come as early as this Friday. This strategic move aims to bring stability to Chelsea following a series of turbulent seasons.
American investors Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali have committed to a long-term agreement, showing confidence in Maresca’s potential to lead the team effectively.
In contrast to this new long-term commitment, Maresca’s predecessors at Chelsea had varying contract lengths with less stability. Last summer, Pochettino agreed to a two-year deal with an option for three more years but only lasted one year in the role.
Similarly, Graham Potter received a five-year contract but was dismissed after just seven months. Thomas Tuchel, before them, had initially signed an 18-month contract in January 2021.
Maresca is set to bring a robust support team from Leicester City, including Willy Caballero, a former Chelsea goalkeeper who assisted Maresca at Leicester. Joining them will be coaches Danny Walker and Roberto Vitiello, goalkeeper coach Michele de Bernardin, fitness coach Marcos Alvarez, and first-team analyst Javier Molina Caballero.
Before his stint at Leicester, Maresca had a challenging tenure at Parma in Serie B. However, he gained significant experience at Manchester City, where Pep Guardiola supported his ambition to become a great manager.
Between 2022 and 2023, Maresca served as one of Guardiola’s deputy managers but received most acclaim for his work with Manchester City’s youth team. Guardiola likened Maresca’s potential to that of Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta.
Maresca joined Manchester City in August 2020 and led the club’s Under-23 team to a Premier League 2 victory during his time as the manager of the Elite Development Squad.
Guardiola was highly impressed with Maresca’s organizational skills and his ability to develop young talent. In May 2021, Guardiola praised Maresca, saying, “We are thrilled with Enzo Maresca. He demonstrated he will become an exceptional manager in the future with all the organization he has done with the EDS [elite development squad]. Outstanding.”
Guardiola’s endorsement continued with a comparison to Mikel Arteta, highlighting Maresca’s significant contributions to youth development and his promising future as a top-tier manager. This high praise from one of football’s most respected managers underscores the potential Chelsea sees in Maresca as they look to rebuild and stabilize their squad.
The addition of Maresca and his team is seen as a strategic move by Chelsea to restore stability and bring in fresh ideas and leadership. His experience with youth development and his tactical acumen are expected to benefit Chelsea significantly.
As he prepares to take on this new challenge, all eyes will be on how Maresca can translate his past successes to his new role at Chelsea and help the club achieve its ambitions in the Premier League and beyond.
Maresca’s journey from Manchester City’s youth team to a top managerial role at Chelsea is a testament to his growing reputation in football management. Chelsea’s decision to invest in his leadership reflects their commitment to a long-term vision, hoping to break the cycle of managerial changes and establish a more consistent and successful era under Maresca’s guidance.
