Chelsea agree terms with Enzo Maresca to become new head coach

Chelsea have agreed terms on a five-year deal for Enzo Maresca to become their new head coach. The Italian is set to join from Leicester, whom he led to promotion to the Premier League as champions in April.

Maresca has had only that one full season in charge of a senior team but he has impressed the Chelsea hierarchy and takes over from Mauricio Pochettino, who left by mutual consent shortly after the club ended the season with five straight wins to finish sixth.

Maresca had 14 games in charge of Parma in 2021 before being sacked and his most notable other coaching work came either side of that at Manchester City, first as the lead coach of the elite development squad and later as an assistant to Pep Guardiola with the first team.

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Chelsea have been discussing transfer targets with Maresca, with the Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford among those under consideration. The club also want a centre-back, left-back and striker.

Chelsea considered other candidates including Kieran McKenna, who has signed a new contract at Ipswich, and Brentford’s Thomas Frank. Maresca played in England with West Brom and went on to represent clubs including Juventus and Sevilla.