After days of half-rumors and speculations, Chelsea has made the signing of Enzo Maresca as the new manager public. The Leicester City boss, who brought the Foxes back to the Premier League from the Championship will now manage the Blues. The sudden departure of Pochettino from Chelsea opened the door for a managerial opportunity, under the new ownership of Todd Boehly.
Mauricio Pohcettino, the Argentinian coach and ex-Spurs manager, was appointed Chelsea’s manager at the beginning of the 23/24 season. This was Boehly’s third manager-hiring, after not getting convinced by Graham Potter and Thomas Tuchel in the previous years. Despite a below-average start, Pochettino’s Chelsea showed some character and positively finished the season. Therefore, his exit did not sit well with the fans.
Arrival of New Chelsea Boss: Enzo Maresca
https://gty.im/2150993294
The 44-year-old Enzo Maresco has had a terrific season with Leicester City in the Championship. With 31 wins in 46 games, Maresca led his team to the top of the table, giving them automatic promotion to the top flight. Moreover, it was the Italian’s style of play that attracted Chelsea to hire him. He has a great tactical vision, along with his ability to have a balanced mix of offense and defense.
Under Enzo Maresca, Leicester was second in the Championship with the most goals scored (89). But more impressive was how he put his team in defense. Leicester, in the entirety of 46 games conceded only 41 goals, less than one goal a game, the best defensive record in England’s second-tier league.
This could be one of the biggest reasons why Chelsea decided to go with Maresca, as he balanced the two key aspects of the game. In hindsight, this is what the previous managers at Chelsea failed to do. They were unsuccessful in bringing the balance the Blues are usually known for. Therefore, the management had to get done with Pochettino, even though there were glimpses of improvement.
History of Enzo Maresca as Manager: Pre-Chelsea Era
Enzo Maresca’s managerial career predominantly started with Manchester City. He was given the responsibility of managing the Elite Development Squad. It is there that he learned the tricks and traits of being a manager as he led that City team to the Premier League 2 title. Shortly thereafter, he was appointed to the Serie B side, Parma’s manager in 2021. However, Enzo Maresca failed to make a solid impact and was released shortly.
The Italian returned to Manchester City and became one of Pep Guardiola’s assistants for the main team. He continued the learning process and won the Premier League with the team in the 22/23 season. In 2023, Maresca joined Leicester City, aiming to revive the club to their previous years. Fortunately for him and the team, the partnership clicked and he led them to an automatic promotion.
Also Read: Chelsea Blocks Three Players From Participating In The Olympics
Is Enzo Planning New Signings in Chelsea for the 24/25 season?
https://gty.im/2150883975
Todd Boehly had been spending money ever since he became the new Chelsea owner post-Roman Abramovich era. However, the big-money-signings have failed to pay dividends for the clubs, which in turn has annoyed the fans and the owner as a whole. No major European action or ability to display the best football has diminished the image of the club.
To tackle this problem, Maresca has a few targets lined up for the summer transfer market. First on the list is Fulham’s Tosin Adarabioyo. According to multiple reports, a verbal agreement has been made between Chelsea and Fulham for the 26-year-old. The club is also behind RB Leipzig’s star striker Benjamin Sesko, who is a heavy favorite to join Arsenal but the Blues are still at it.
Brentford striker, Ivan Toney is also under Enzo’s scanner. The forward’s signing could ease the pain of the club, who struggled to see the back of the net so many times this season. The lack of goals is what kept the Blues out of contention. All-in-all, Maresca has a lot of things that he needs to take care of before the 24/25 season of the Prem starts in August.
About The Author
Siddharth prefers to watch almost any sport under the sun. From Soccer to Cricket to Tennis, to NFL and NBA, he follows it all. A literary student and someone who dreams to be a musician one day as well.
