Chelsea have approached Leicester City for permission to speak to manager Enzo Maresca, sources told ESPN, after identifying the Italian as the preferred candidate to succeed Mauricio Pochettino at Stamford Bridge.
Maresca, 44, guided Leicester to promotion back to the Premier League as Championship winners in his first campaign in charge this season and his success has prompted Chelsea's owners to make a formal move to hire the former assistant Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.
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Former Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi and former Brentford manager Thomas Frank are also under consideration to replace Pochettino, who left Chelsea by mutual consent after guiding the team to a sixth-place finish in the Premier League already. the Carabao Cup final during his only season in charge.
Maresca is considered a coach who opts for a possession game and is characterized by giving opportunities to emerging young players. Chelsea's Cole Palmer and Romeo Lavia worked with Maresca during their time together at City.
Sources told ESPN that Leicester will expect compensation of around £9 million ($11.5 million) for Maresca if they allow their highly rated manager to speak to Chelsea this week.
Maresca had a brief spell as head coach of Italian club Parma in Serie B during the 2021-22 season, having previously coached City's reserve team to the Premier League 2 title.
As a player he won Serie A with Juventus in 2002, as well as two UEFA Cups and a Copa del Rey with Sevilla.
