Football transfer news now and rumors-Chelsea are closing in on Enzo Maresca as their new manager. Arsenal are battling Barcelona and Bayern to sign £43m Nico Williams. Levi Colwill is on Manchester United’s shortlist of summer centre-back targets.
Chelsea eyes Enzo Maresca as new manager – report
According to British media reports, Chelsea are in talks to make Leicester’s Enzo Maresca their new head coach.
The Italian, who was Pep Guardiola’s assistant at English champions Manchester City until last year, has overseen an immediate return to the Premier League for the Foxes following their relegation 12 months ago.
His style of football is also said to have impressed Chelsea chiefs, with Sky Sports reporting on Monday that the Blues have asked Leicester for permission to speak directly to Maresca, who they have added as the London club’s preferred choice.
Pochettino left after Chelsea finished sixth in the Premier League — qualifying for the Europa Conference League — but missed out on Champions League qualification and a trophy.
Chelsea lost the League Cup final 1–0 to Liverpool after extra time and pushed Manchester City all the way before losing by the same scoreline in the FA Cup semi-final.
But there have been signs that former Tottenham manager Pochettino’s project is coming together to end the campaign with a run of five consecutive wins that ensures Chelsea will be involved in European competition next season.
Chelsea have made Enzo Maresca their new manager in the Leicester way
Enzo Maresca is now believed to be in pole position to become Chelsea’s new manager.
Football transfer news now and rumors-The Blues are understood to have approached Leicester for permission to progress official talks with the Foxes boss.
Football transfer news now and rumors-Both Maresca and former Brighton manager Roberto Di Zarby had hoped to do enough to convince Chelsea chiefs they were the right man to take over at Stamford Bridge.
But now 44-year-old Maresca looks primed to win the battle to replace Mauricio Pochettino at Stamford Bridge.
Maresca, De Zerby and Brentford’s Thomas Frank have become the final three contenders for the Chelsea job, after the Blues moved on from Ipswich’s Kieran McKenna.
Chelsea chiefs are conducting a swift but thorough process to recruit a replacement for Pochettino, who left the Blues by mutual consent last week.
Former Manchester City assistant coach Maresca spent time learning his trade under Pep Guardiola, guiding Leicester to the Championship title this term.
Football transfer news now and rumors-Maresca won strong admirers within the Stamford Bridge hierarchy, particularly co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Lawrence Stewart.
Both are understood to have suggested Maresca as an outstanding candidate as the Blues’ new manager.
The Stamford Bridge club’s owners are now believed to be convinced of Maresca’s suitability.
Maresca himself is understood to want the job, and Chelsea will have to pay £9m in compensation to lure him away from the East Midlands club.
Football transfer news now and rumors-Former Tottenham boss Pochettino turned Chelsea’s 11th-place finish into a 6th-place finish in April, with the club qualifying for next term’s Europa Conference League.
The 52-year-old left the Blues before their final European destination was decided, but rested on Saturday’s FA Cup final result.
Manchester United’s 2-1 win over rivals City meant Chelsea were eliminated from Europa League qualification.
Pochettino became an immediate option for United after leaving Chelsea and remains under consideration by Old Trafford chiefs.
Football transfer news now and rumors:
Enzo Maresca is heading to Chelsea as ownership requests talks with Leicester
Enzo Maresca is set to become Chelsea’s new head coach and will immediately be charged with leading the club into the top-four of the Premier League next season.
Maresca has emerged as Chelsea’s No.1 target and is now in advanced talks to leave Championship champions Leicester City at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea’s ownership sought official permission from Leicester to speak to Maresca on Monday afternoon and plan to fly to Marbella where he is currently on holiday for talks.
Leicester will demand around £10million in compensation for Maresca, who has completed just one full season in charge and has been selected ahead of Roberto Di Zarby and Brentford’s Thomas Frank.
Football transfer news now and rumors-Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna decided to withdraw from the process at the weekend.
If talks go smoothly, Chelsea hope to confirm Maresca as their seventh permanent manager in five years later this week.
Maresca is seen as ideal for the Chelsea board as they look for a new direction following Mauricio Pochettino’s departure by mutual consent last week.
A former Manchester City coach working under Pep Guardiola, Maresca’s possession-based approach and obsession with positional play have made him a top target.
Considered to be extremely flexible tactically and capable of in-game solutions, Football transfer news now and rumors-Maresca’s preferred formation is the 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 which Chelsea envisions the current squad playing next season.
The Guardiola link is considered important. After observing Mikel Arteta’s success with Arsenal, Chelsea see Maresca as another coach who will take the best practices from the Guardiola School of Science.
Crucially, Chelsea believe he has the charisma and temperament to manage a club of Chelsea’s size and is capable of working under pressure after being told by Leicester last summer that promotion was the only target.
Maresca will be tasked with a top-four finish and return Chelsea to the Champions League next season, which the 44-year-old feels is a realistic goal.
Chelsea are keen to work with the existing system, which includes sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart. Maresca was sold on the strategic vision of Winstanley and Lawrence Stewart, as the pair spearheaded the hiring process for the new head coach. Football transfer news now and rumors-In the new era under Maresca, every job across the club will be clearly defined, each role linked to each function described in painstaking detail, with the sole aim of bringing Chelsea back into contention for major honours.
Football transfer news now and rumors-While Pochettino wanted greater powers at the club with additional recruitment, Maresca will be asked to focus solely on coaching and player development.
Football transfer news now and rumors-Maresca has already established a reputation as a “coach on the pitch” and is known to be very hands-on with training sessions.