Chelsea are in discussions to appoint Leicester City manager Enzo Maresca as the successor to Mauricio Pochettino.
The 44-year-old Italian took over the Foxes in June 2023 and successfully led them back to the Premier League by winning the Championship in his first season.
Maresca is keen on moving to Chelsea, with negotiations continuing between the two clubs, just 24 hours after Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna withdrew from the race for the position.
While former Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi and Brentford’s Thomas Frank have not been completely ruled out, there is a strong consensus within the club that Maresca is the preferred choice.
Chelsea will need to pay compensation fees for any of their remaining candidates.
Pochettino left the club by mutual consent last week after finishing sixth in the Premier League in his sole season in charge.
BBC Sport reports that Leicester would seek £8m-£10m in compensation for Maresca, who previously served as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City.
The completion of the deal will depend on Chelsea’s willingness to pay the compensation fee. However, they are determined to reach an agreement in the coming days.
Sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart primarily selected Maresca from a four-man shortlist. Co-controlling owner Behdad Eghbali, a key figure in the process, has also been involved from London.
Chelsea utilized a combination of data, interviews, and due diligence to identify their top candidate. They believe Maresca will integrate well into the club’s structure and were impressed with his knowledge of the squad.
Maresca’s background as Guardiola’s assistant was positively viewed, with board members noting the successful rebuilding job done by Mikel Arteta, another Guardiola protégé, at Arsenal.
Chelsea aims to build an elite structure and hopes that a hands-on, tactically proficient coach can maximize the potential of their expensively assembled squad.
Former Manchester United assistant manager McKenna, who led Ipswich to promotion from the Championship, is being linked with Brighton and a possible return to Old Trafford if FA Cup winners Manchester United decide to part ways with Erik ten Hag.
Ipswich wants to retain McKenna and is expected to offer him a new contract, although there were indications last week that he might not renew his deal. McKenna is contracted to Ipswich until 2027, and any club interested in him would need to pay at least £4m in compensation.