May 27th 2024.
It seems that a familiar face may be making a return to Stamford Bridge very soon. Chelsea is in talks with Leicester City for their head coach, Enzo Maresca. The search for a new manager has been a rigorous and swift one, with Chelsea ruling out other potential candidates such as Kieran McKenna and Thomas Frank.
Maresca, who was previously an assistant to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, is the front-runner for the job. His track record of leading Leicester to 97 points and the Championship title, as well as implementing a possession-based style of play, has caught the attention of Chelsea. It is believed that Maresca has given his approval for the move and now it's up to Chelsea to agree on a compensation package with Leicester.
After Leicester's promotion to the Premier League, Maresca's contract included a release clause of around £10 million. However, Chelsea will try to negotiate a lower fee and also secure deals for Maresca's coaching staff, which includes a former player. It is expected that his assistant manager, Willy Caballero, will also join him at Chelsea.
Caballero, who spent four seasons at Chelsea as a goalkeeper, has now moved into coaching after retiring in 2023. He was known for his penalty shootout heroics in the FA Cup third round against Norwich City and was also part of the squads that won the Champions League and Europa League. He became a cult figure among the fans, especially after an injured Kepa Arrizabalaga refused to be substituted for him in the Carabao Cup final.
Interestingly, Caballero was appointed as Maresca's assistant manager and not as a goalkeeper coach. He played a significant role in the team, often seen deep in discussion with Maresca and first-team coach Danny Walker. It is expected that Walker will also make the move to Stamford Bridge.
Negotiations are still ongoing, but Chelsea is hopeful of finalizing a deal with Maresca and his backroom staff by the end of this week. Stay tuned for more updates on Chelsea's new manager. Sign up for our newsletter for exclusive news, analysis, and insights on Chelsea. Your privacy is important to us, and we are protected by reCAPTCHA and Google's Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
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