Chelsea have confirmed the appointment of Enzo Maresca as their new manager.
The Italian has signed a five-year deal at Stamford Bridge after an agreement was reached between the Blues and Leicester City at the weekend.
“Enzo has deeply impressed us in our discussions leading up to his appointment. His ambitions and work ethic align with those of the club,” the club said in their official statement. “We thoroughly look forward to working with him.”
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“To join Chelsea, one of the biggest clubs in the world, is a dream for any coach. It is why I am so excited by this opportunity,” the 44-year-old said himself. “I look forward to working with a very talented group of players and staff to develop a team that continues the club’s tradition of success and makes our fans proud.”
Maresca leaves the Foxes after one season in charge, during which he led the team to the Championship title as they secured an immediate return to the Premier League following their 2022/23 relegation.
He replaces Mauricio Pochettino in the Chelsea hot seat and is set to bring six of his existing staff, including former Blues goalkeeper Willy Caballero with him to west London.
His contract contains a club-held option to extend into a sixth season as the former Manchester City assistant becomes Chelsea’s fourth permanent manager in the past four years.
After a strong end to the season, Pochettino led Chelsea to a sixth-place finish in the Premier League last month, an improvement on the club’s 12-place campaign a year earlier, but the two parties decided to part company after just a single season.
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