Chelsea Appoints Enzo Maresca as New Head Coach on Five-Year Deal

Chelsea have officially appointed former Leicester City coach Enzo Maresca as their new head coach, succeeding Mauricio Pochettino. Maresca, who has no previous Premier League managerial experience, has committed to a five-year contract, keeping him at Stamford Bridge until June 30, 2029.

The 44-year-old Italian manager steps into the role with the expectation of surpassing the achievements of Pochettino, who elevated Chelsea from mid-table mediocrity in the 2022-2023 season to a top-six finish in 2023-2024. Pochettino also guided Chelsea to the Carabao Cup final and the FA Cup semi-finals.

While Pochettino boasts significant achievements, including winning the league cup with Paris Saint Germain and reaching the UEFA Champions League final with Tottenham Hotspur, Maresca’s notable managerial success is leading Leicester City back to the Premier League in the recently concluded season. Previously, he served as an assistant coach at Manchester City under Pep Guardiola.

Maresca becomes the fourth permanent head coach appointed by Chelsea since the club’s takeover by American investor Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital in May 2022. He will begin working with the Chelsea squad on July 4, focusing initially on players not engaged in international duties.

Chelsea’s co-sporting directors, Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, expressed their enthusiasm for Maresca’s appointment in a statement: “We are delighted to welcome Enzo to Chelsea. He has proven himself to be an excellent coach capable of delivering impressive results with an exciting and identifiable style. Enzo has deeply impressed us in our discussions leading up to his appointment. His ambitions and work ethic align with those of the club. We thoroughly look forward to working with him.”

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