Chelsea appoint Leicester's Maresca as manager

Chelsea have appointed Leicester manager Enzo Maresca as their new boss on a five-year contract with the option of an extra year.

The Italian replaces Mauricio Pochettino, who left by mutual consent on 21 May after just one season at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca, 44, took charge of the Foxes in June 2023 and led them to the Championship title last term.

"To join Chelsea, one of the biggest clubs in the world, is a dream for any coach," he said. "It is why I am so excited by this opportunity.

"I look forward to working with a very talented group of players and staff to develop a team that continues the club's tradition of success and makes our fans proud."

Maresca, who will begin his new role on 1 July, is Chelsea's sixth managerial appointment in five years and the fourth since American investor Todd Boehly and private equity firm Clearlake Capital bought the club in May 2022.

Chelsea endured a mixed 2023-24 but won their final five games to end the campaign in sixth and qualify for the Europa Conference League.

The Blues also finished runners-up in the Carabao Cup and reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

Several candidates were on a shortlist following Pochettino's departure, including former Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi, Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna and Brentford's Thomas Frank.

Chelsea's co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart said Maresca "deeply impressed us in our discussions leading up to his appointment" and his "ambitions and work ethic align with those of the club".

The Chelsea players not on international duty this summer are scheduled to return to the club for pre-season under Maresca on 4 July as they prepare for a tour of the United States.

Maresca's coaching staff at Leicester, including former Chelsea goalkeeper Willy Caballero, will work alongside him at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca the 'first and unanimous choice' for Chelsea

Analysis: Nizaar Kinsella, BBC Sport football news reporter

Maresca was the first and unanimous choice among Chelsea's decision-makers.

Sporting directors Winstanley and Stewart have been working 17-hour days leading up to his appointment, alongside influential co-controlling owner Behdad Eghbali.

The Italian is believed to be a good fit for Chelsea's model, a highly data-driven and sports science approach, in which the various departments at the club have input.

The club is moving away from a manager-led recruitment process, leaving the manager to focus on football, which was at times a point of friction between former boss Pochettino and the ownership.

Maresca is comfortable working in this structure and excited to focus on improving players and preparing for matches with strong resources.

He has already asked the data department for profiles on every player, including academy stars and even key club staff, as he looks to get a head start ahead of his official start date on 1 July.

It is a sign of the excitement among the new coaching staff to work with this squad as they look to add a striker and, potentially, a further defender, as Chelsea close in on a move for Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo.

Maresca is expected to take several academy players in pre-season, including Tyrique George and Josh Acheampong, with some senior players expected back late from international duty at Euro 2024 and Copa America.

Chelsea are excited to see how Maresca's tactical approach will work with their group of players, and believe his association with Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, widely regarded as one of the best coaches in the world, is a major positive.

Maresca's journey to Stamford Bridge

As a player, former midfielder Maresca had spells in England, Spain, Greece and his native Italy.

He had a short stint at West Bromwich Albion as a teenager before joining Juventus in 2000, while at Sevilla he scored twice in the club's Uefa Cup final win against Middlesbrough in 2006.

Maresca's first taste of senior management arrived in 2021 but he lasted just 180 days with Italian club Parma, winning only four of his 14 games in charge.

The Italian, who previously had a stint in charge of Manchester City's under-23 side, returned to the club to work as manager Pep Guardiola's assistant in June 2022.

After playing a role in City's Treble-winning campaign in 2022-23, Maresca moved to King Power Stadium and succeeded in getting Leicester back to the Premier League at the first time of asking as champions.

The Foxes were 12 points clear at the top of the Championship in mid-February and, despite going on a run of six defeats in 10 league games, they found form again in April to wrap up the title.

Alongside their league success, Leicester also reached the last eight of the FA Cup, but lost a quarter-final to Maresca's new club Chelsea.

Leicester said in a statement they were "disappointed that Enzo has decided at this stage he no longer wants to be part of our vision" having established "promising foundations during his single season in charge".

The club added: "However, with Enzo's decision made and the board's terms for his departure met, we wish him well in his future endeavours.

"He leaves with the appreciation of everyone at the club for his work in helping us to achieve an immediate return to the Premier League during the 2023-24 season."