How Enzo Maresca fended off strong competition to become Chelsea’s top manager choice

Enzo Maresca is edging closer to an exit from Leicester City as Chelsea work to reach an agreement with the manager to take over as boss at Stamford Bridge.

There was an initial shock when the Blues parted ways with Mauricio Pochettino following a sixth-place finish in the Premier League with two Wembley Cup ties after just 12 months in charge at Stamford Bridge. But even that paled when it became clear that a championship-winning manager was in contention to replace the Argentine.

Chelsea are a club used to appointing elite managers and this has brought them much success over the years. That hasn’t quite been the case in this latest search, although Mareșca has still been forced to see off a number of high-profile candidates to get to the position he now finds himself on the verge of leaving Leicester.

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But how exactly did the Italian – the big risk he is for the Chelsea owner with just a year’s experience in English management – become first in line for such a job. Speaking to BBC Sport, Guillem Balague had the full explanation.

“The fact that they have offered him a five-year contract suggests that they have seen someone who is not just Chelsea quality but someone who has the energy to continue to improve Chelsea and get them back into the top- four,” said the respected. Spanish journalist. “Everything that comes from the basis of two things.

“One – what they saw he did at Leicester City and number two – the interview was very impressive. Some people went into the Enzo Maresca interview like, “Yeah, we’ll see. He is a championship manager, he didn’t. I’ve had a lot of experience,’ and then they came out of it like, ‘It’s got to be him.’

“I know Enzo and I see him methodically. He impressed the patrons not only with his knowledge of Chelsea but also the under-23s and what he can bring forward.

“He’s studied everything and he’s going to leave no stone unturned – he’s just going to go because he’s got the energy, the drive, the drive, the will to do it – to push Chelsea forward.”

Fellow barman, newly promoted manager Kieran McKenna, Maresca was in the running alongside a number of coaches from top divisions across the continent. Brentford’s Thomas Frank was one, with the Dane possessing three years of Premier League know-how and the same could be said of former Brighton man Roberto De Zerbi, who was briefly let go.

Girona’s Michel was another to lead his underdogs to third place in La Liga, as was Sporting CP’s Ruben Amorim. In the end, they could not seem to match the 44-year-old’s thorough mind to rally Chelsea’s ranks under one goal.

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