Chelsea target Enzo Maresca but Kieran McKenna favoured for managerial role
Chelsea are currently on the lookout for a new manager to fill the shoes left by Mauricio Pochettino. The club has been showing an increased interest in Leicester's Enzo Maresca. However, those in the running for the position believe that Kieran McKenna from Ipswich is favored to land the role and take over the helm at Stamford Bridge.
The owners of Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital are eager to quickly appoint a new manager after mutually agreeing to part ways with Pochettino. This decision has surprised the players and staff. The ownership group has identified several potential candidates for the position.
Chelsea wanted a change and thought Pochettino might not like working there. They spoke to McKenna's people a few weeks ago. But McKenna might also go to Brighton or Manchester United. Chelsea needs a backup plan, so they contacted Maresca's team.
It is not certain whether Maresca would consider becoming a part of Chelsea's team after guiding Leicester to win the Championship title. It is possible that before the beginning of next season, Leicester could face a deduction of points and we do not know whether they will receive a large budget during the summer. However, Chelsea is interested in Maresca's way of playing attacking, possession-based football.
The team is enthusiastic about selecting a fresh and forward-thinking leader who is willing to support the recruitment system overseen by co-sporting directors, Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley.
Chelsea is keeping an eye on Thomas Frank from Brentford, Sebastian Hoeness from Stuttgart, and Michel from Girona. Unfortunately, Hoeness recently signed a new contract with Stuttgart, who did really well in the Bundesliga, and will probably not leave this summer. Meanwhile, Chelsea is also interested in Vincent Kompany, but it appears that the manager of Burnley may be off to Bayern Munich instead.
Pochettino left Chelsea with a solid reputation intact. He helped guide them to a decent sixth place finish during his one season as their manager. Other clubs like Bayern may also want to pursue him. United could consider him as a replacement if they decide to terminate Ten Hag's contract. In addition, Pochettino is anticipated to receive offers from teams in the Saudi Pro League.
Al-Ittihad is likely to replace Marcelo Gallardo. Ramón Planes, their sports director, is a trusted friend of Pochettino. Pochettino is also a possibility for the England team in case Gareth Southgate leaves after Euro 2024.
Chelsea was in an unsure state of mind when Pochettino left, but we still do not know the details of his leaving agreement. This happened after he spent less than one year in his position. The team has already had five different managers since being bought by the private equity fund, Boehly and Clearlake Capital. The fund is managed by Behdad Eghbali and José E Feliciano. The training ground was full of tired and unhappy people as they prepared for yet another dramatic change. Losing Pochettino came as a shock and brought sadness to the players.
Chelsea is adamant on its choice and has turned down any proposals stating that they are searching for a manager who is submissive to their hierarchy. According to sources, Chelsea intends to hire a manager who is open to receiving recommendations from professionals in the technical, medical and recruitment divisions. The reason behind not selecting Pochettino is because he showed disinterest when Chelsea wanted to hire a coach entirely dedicated to set-pieces, and it appeared that he was not keen on altering his methods.
During their end-of-season evaluation, Chelsea didn't just focus on the small improvement in their team's performance. Their aim was to qualify for the Champions League, but they were let down by disappointing results against Burnley and Sheffield United. Chelsea were also worried about the unpredictable nature of their games and defensive capabilities. Their recent game against Bournemouth, where they narrowly won 2-1, added to their concerns.
