Chelsea are excited about the style of play and outlook on football that Enzo Maresca has presented to them, believing the Leicester City boss is a manager they can build around for the long-term, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.
Maresca looks set to succeed Mauricio Pochettino at Chelsea after emerging as their top candidate at interview phase, though there is still work to do on his contract and the compensation Leicester will receive in exchange for his services.
That is unlikely to pose an impediment, though, as the Foxes boss is believed to have a set release fee of around £9m-£10m in his contract, which will not be considered an issue by Chelsea.
Fabrizio Romano: “Maresca believes in the Chelsea project"
Explaining the position of Maresca and his potential new employers, Romano wrote in his Daily Briefing: “Maresca wants to go to Chelsea and never had any doubts despite some reports suggesting that maybe he wants to stay at Leicester.
“Although he loves and respects Leicester, it’s been very clear ever since Chelsea entered this story that Maresca wants to be the next Chelsea manager.
“Maresca believes in the Chelsea project around young players with a big future, he thinks it is a really exciting project. Meanwhile, Chelsea are convinced he’s a super talented coach and that’s why he’s a name appreciated by both directors and owners, all convinced he can be the man for present and future.
“Maresca’s obsession with ball possession, quality football, dominating the game, his knowledge of elite football despite being a young manager - all of this made the difference for Chelsea to pick him.
“Talks are now really at the final stages, and it’s expected to happen soon. The salary is agreed and it’s just about the length of the contract. The feeling is that it could be a five-year contract, longer than they initially thought, and they are just discussing this final detail, but the feeling is that they are almost there.”
A former Manchester City assistant manager under Pep Guardiola, Maresca guided Leicester to winning the Championship in his first season at the club, securing an immediate return to Premier League football following their relegation in 2022/23.
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