Leicester are closing in on the former Chelsea manager in their pursuit of Enzo Maresca’s replacement

Leicester City approached former Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri this summer in their search for a replacement for the departed Enzo Maresca.

After winning the Championship in his first season in charge at the Foxes, Maresca was immediately poached and is set to join Chelsea immediately after Mauricio Pochettino left Stamford Bridge by mutual consent.

It is a huge blow for Leicester as they prepare for a return to the Premier League and they have called on an experienced campaigner to help them through the situation.

Sarri has been out of work since resigning as Lazio manager in March after four straight defeats in all competitions, including a 3-0 defeat at Bayern Munich, knocked them out of the Champions League.

The 65-year-old has managed a number of clubs in Italy, notably Juventus, Napoli and Empoli, while he was in charge of Chelsea in 2018-19, winning the Europa League before leaving to move to Juve.

SportItalia, via Football Italia, report that Leicester have approached him about a return to the Premier League, although the veteran is not enthusiastic about the prospect.

Sarri has been linked with roles including Bologna and Fiorentina and is reportedly waiting for a more attractive offer than Leicester City. You have

A number of names have been linked with the Leicester job, including former Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper, West Brom boss Carlos Corberan and Manchester United legend Ruud van Nistelrooy, most recently in charge of PSV.

The likes of Graham Potter and David Moyes are also touted as possible candidates but look less likely at this stage.

Maresca is expected to sign a five-year contract with Chelsea, with an option for a further year.

Given the rate at which the Blues cycle through managers, that extra year may be wishful thinking on all sides, but the Italian will be looking to buck the trend of regular sackings at Stamford Bridge.

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