Premier League side Chelsea FC has announced the appointment of Enzo Maresca as their new manager on a five year deal.
The Italian leaves newly-promoted Leicester, in a deal worth around £9million, after delivering the Championship title this term to succeed Mauricio Pochettino, who departed Stamford Bridge by mutual consent after only one season at the club. Maresca will be officially unveiled later this week.
“We are thrilled to welcome Enzo into the Chelsea family. We look forward to supporting him and the rest of the sporting team in fulfilling their potential and our expectations over the years to come. He is a highly gifted coach and leader that we are confident can help fulfill our vision and competitive goals for the Club,” the Blues said in a statement.
The Italian previously managed Manchester City’s Elite Development Squad, winning the Premier League 2 title with Cole Palmer and Romeo Lavia, and had his first senior management spell back in Italy with Parma, where he was sacked after only six months after winning just four of 14 matches.
A return to City then beckoned, with Maresca serving as one of Pep Guardiola’s trusted assistants before being appointed as Leicester boss last summer following their relegation from the Premier League.
Former Italy Under-21 international Maresca also experienced English football as a player, beginning his senior career at West Brom in the late 1990s after youth spells at AC Milan and Cagliari, later turning out for Juventus, Fiorentina, Sevilla, Olympiacos, Malaga, Sampdoria and Palermo during a 19-year career as an all-action midfielder.
