Since being taken over by American businessman Todd Boehly, Chelsea have undergone some challenging times by their usual standards. Previously perennial favorites for the title in the Premier League betting, the Blues have been without a trophy since winning the Club World Cup in 2022, losing their next six straight cup finals, including a defeat last season to Liverpool at Wembley.
The inability to bring silverware to Stamford Bridge has cost multiple managers their job, with Enzo Maresca becoming the fourth permanent appointment in the dugout as he looks to turn Chelsea’s misfortune around.
But how much do we know about Mauricio Pochettino’s successor? Maresca hasn’t been in professional management for very long but commands a lot of respect and has big expectations for the upcoming Premier League season. In this article, we assess everything you need to know about the new Chelsea boss.
Working with Pep Guardiola
Maresca was something of a journeyman throughout his playing career, retiring at Serie A side Hellas Vernos after stints in England, Italy, Spain, and Greece.
He was hired by Manchester City in 2020 as an academy coach, assembling a side that won the U23 Premier League in his first season in charge.
Maresca left City in 2021 for a lone season at Parma but failed to help the side in their bid for promotion from Serie B, leading to an early dismissal that year.
The Italian returned to City for their treble-winning season and was an important part of Guardiola’s back-room staff, playing an integral role in the development of Rico Lewis and Cole Palmer.
Appointment at Leicester
Maresca’s first senior role in English football was in charge of Leicester City, where he arrived at the Foxes following their relegation to the Championship in the 2022/23 season.
Immediately the culture at the club shifted, and Leicester became a well-oiled machine, retaining the core of a side that beat Chelsea in the 2021 FA Cup final, alongside some emerging talents and stalwarts of English football to clinch the league title from Ipswich Town by a single point.
Maresca boasted a 67%-win percentage during his time at the King Power Stadium, but with Chelsea coming calling he traded the East Midlands for west London, having successfully guided Leicester to the promised land of promotion the first time of asking.
Chelsea Signings
While the 44-year-old is relatively inexperienced compared to previous Chelsea managers, he has wasted no time in signing players that suit his philosophy – attacking football that relies on hard work off the ball.
Chelsea is investing in younger players as well as capitalizing on free transfers. Tosin Adarabioyo arrives on a free from Fulham, while a familiar face in Kieran Dewsbury-Hall signed from Leicester for £30m. Omari Kellyman (£19m) and Guiu (£5m) complete the haul so far this summer but expect more arrivals before the opening day.
Faith In His Squad
As busy as Chelsea have been in the market, Maresca is full of faith in his squad, saying they can deliver their targets for the upcoming season, which begins with a tough start against City before Wolverhampton Wanderers and Crystal Palace.
“One of the reasons I’m here is because I’m convinced the squad is very good and full of talent,” he said in his first interview as Chelsea manager. “The most important thing now is we’re able to create the right culture that drives us for the season.
“I always say the same: if you are able to improve players, then you are able to improve the team. So it’s our target to try to improve all of them day by day.”