Enzo Maresca has agreed a five-year deal with Chelsea to become their new head coach.
The 44-year-old, who will succeed Mauricio Pochettino at Stamford Bridge, will leave Leicester after leading them back to the Premier League by winning the championship.
It is understood that work on his contract is being finalized by lawyers and an announcement could be made before the weekend.
Chelsea co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart had traveled to Marbella for face-to-face talks with Maresca after Leicester allowed talks to begin.
The Italian’s release clause at the King Power Stadium is said to be between £8m and £10m.
Chelsea were impressed by Maresca’s depth and breadth of knowledge about their team during interviews with his representatives, as well as his focus on how Chelsea want to play and his desire for the position.
The 44-year-old’s obsession with possession and positional play has made him the leading candidate to replace Mauricio Pochettino, who left by mutual consent.
Chelsea bosses believe the new head coach will be the final piece of the puzzle to fit into the new modern structure they have built at the club.
The west London club expect to be busy in the transfer market this summer with players coming and going. The swaps will likely see the signing of a new number 9 and a new centre-back, while the futures of higher earners such as Romelu Lukaku and Kepa Arrizabalaga need to be resolved.
‘Chelsea thinks Maresca is the one for them’
Kaveh Solhekol, Sky Sports News chief reporter:
“Chelsea have had a very thorough process with Kieran McKenna, Thomas Frank and Roberto De Zerbi, but they believe Maresca is the one for them.
“The others were all very impressive candidates, but Chelsea feel that at this moment Maresca is the man for them and he shares their vision for the future.
“He’s only been a manager for a season and a half. He was manager at Parma in the Italian second division, then he got the job at Leicester.
“There have been some problems behind the scenes and not all Leicester fans have been entirely happy with him, even though he got them back into the Premier League.
“There have been recruitment issues and issues relating to the fact that Leicester have been accused of allegedly breaching the PSR (Profitability and Sustainability Rules) and they are also under a transfer embargo from of the EFL.
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Sky Sports’ Sam Blitz and Simeon Gholam look at what Leicester’s Enzo Maresca and Ipswich’s Kieran McKenna could bring to the Premier League and why they are in such demand
“There have been problems, but Chelsea just want a head coach. They want someone who will coach the first team and deal with the media. Everything else they think they have in place.
“You have to remember that Mikel Arteta had no managerial experience in the Premier League before joining Arsenal, but he had worked under Pep Guardiola, which is exactly the same as Maresca.
“I’m not saying he’s a better manager than Arteta, but he has more experience than when he took over at Arsenal.
“Don’t underestimate the Pep effect. If you’ve worked under Guardiola you have a head start in applying for this kind of job, but you still need to impress, which Maresca did in those discussions.
“I was told that his knowledge of the Chelsea squad, including the younger players in the team, was encyclopedic.”
