May 28th 2024.
Enzo Maresca, a highly-regarded manager, is rumored to be joining Chelsea from his current position at Leicester City. According to reports, he is already making plans for the upcoming summer transfer window and has identified three key positions that he wants to strengthen.
Maresca is expected to be announced as Mauricio Pochettino's replacement within the next 24 hours and will sign a long-term contract with the Blues. The club has agreed to pay a hefty sum of £10 million in compensation to secure the services of the Italian coach.
Despite being on holiday at the moment, Maresca is wasting no time and has already started drafting his transfer plans for his first season at Stamford Bridge. According to sources, he is looking to sign a new goalkeeper, left-back, and forward to bolster the squad.
However, this may not be an easy task as Chelsea will have to comply with Profit and Sustainability Rules, which have been put in place since Todd Boehly took over the club. The club has spent over £1 billion on transfers in recent years and will need to sell some players before making any new signings.
In the goalkeeper department, the Blues have struggled this season, conceding a record amount of goals in the Premier League. Last summer, they spent £40 million on Robert Sanchez and Djordje Petrovic, but neither have been able to establish themselves as the first-choice keeper. Additionally, Kepa Arrizabalaga, the world's most expensive goalkeeper, is set to return to Chelsea after spending the season on loan at Real Madrid.
At left-back, vice-captain Ben Chilwell is unlikely to be sold, leaving Marc Cucurella, who has not lived up to expectations since his £55.5 million move from Brighton two years ago, as a potential candidate to be offloaded.
In the attacking department, Maresca will have a lot of options to choose from, with highly-rated winger Estevao Willian set to join the club in a deal worth an initial £29 million. The club has already spent over £300 million on attacking players like Raheem Sterling, Christopher Nkunku, Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson, Mykhailo Mudryk, and Noni Madueke. It will be interesting to see how Maresca plans to utilize these players in his tactics.
On another note, former Chelsea player Ian Maatsen has been impressive while on loan at Borussia Dortmund and could be sold to raise funds for new signings. It remains to be seen which players will fit into Maresca's plans and who will be sold to make room for new additions.
Chelsea fans are eagerly waiting for an official announcement about Maresca's appointment and are excited to see how he will shape the team's playing style. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.
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