Chelsea remain in the hunt for a fourth head coach in two years following the sudden departure of Mauricio Pochettino last week despite the Argentine steering the Blues to a sixth-placed finish
Chelsea remain in the hunt for a fourth head coach in two years following the sudden departure of Mauricio Pochettino last week despite the Argentine steering the Blues to a sixth-placed finish Chelsea remain in the hunt for a fourth head coach in two years following the sudden departure of Mauricio Pochettino last week despite the Argentine steering the Blues to a sixth-placed finish
The search for Chelsea’s new head coach could soon be over with official talks ongoing with Leicester City boss Enzo Maresca after Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna pulled out of the running.
Maresca, McKenna and Brentford’s Thomas Frank initially formed the three-man shortlist to succeed Mauricio Pochettino, who departed the club by mutual consent at the end of the Premier League season.
The Blues have held talks with a number of highly-regarded young coaches over the last few days, including Northern Irishman McKenna who emerged as an early favourite to fill the vacancy.
McKenna has established himself as one of English football’s most exciting young coaches after securing back-to-back promotions with Ipswich Town and restoring the club in the top-flight for the first time in two decades.
McKenna previously spent five years at United as a youth team coach before joining the senior backroom staff under Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. And despite entering into talks with Chelsea amid their ongoing managerial search, McKenna has reportedly pulled out of the race as Chelsea narrow down their search.
It is believed that a return to Old Trafford would be his preferred move if the club decide to sack Erik ten Hag in the coming days.
And according to the Telegraph, Maresca, 44, has emerged as the No 1 target for Chelsea after the club’s ownership requested official permission to speak to the Italian. The Championship title winner is set to leave the Foxes to take over at Stamford Bridge with negotiations reaching an advanced stage.
The former Manchester City assistant is reportedly excited about the Chelsea ownership’s ambitious project, and Chelsea will now attempt to agree terms with Leicester in order to prise Maresca away from the King Power Stadium, which The Telegraph claim could take around £10million to extract him from his current contract.
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Chelsea have held talks with Leicester boss Enzo Maresca
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Maresca touts a history working under Pep Guardiola at City. Despite a poor run of form in the tail end of the season, the former Man City man won promotion back to the Premier League in his maiden season at the helm of Leicester and has impressed the Chelsea board during talks.
Maresca is now the preferred choice ahead of Brentford’s Frank and former Brighton head coach Roberto De Zerbi and would be Chelsea’s seventh permanent manager in five years.
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