After manager Enzo Maresca left to join Chelsea, a Premier League team, Leicester seemed to express their feelings.
On Monday afternoon, Chelsea said that the 44-year-old has been appointed to a five-year contract with a one-year option. At Stamford Bridge, he takes Mauricio Pochettino’s place.
Last season, Maresca led Leicester to the Championship title, which the Foxes won with one game remaining.
The Italian reportedly expressed his happiness to remain at Leicester at the end of the last campaign, despite financial difficulties and the possibility of losing Premier League points, to the club’s administration, as reported by The Telegraph.
But that quickly changed once Chelsea parted company with Pochettino, with Maresca named as their number one target.
The former Manchester City assistant manager has now left the King Power Stadium after a single season in charge – and Leicester’s official statement following his departure gives an indication of how they feel about the saga.
The statement reads: “Leicester City Football Club can today confirm the departure of Enzo Maresca from his position as First Team Manager.
“Given the promising foundations established during his single season in charge, the Club is disappointed that Enzo has decided at this stage that he no longer wants to be part of our vision.
“However, with Enzo’s decision made and the Board’s terms for his departure met, we wish him well in his future endeavours.
“He leaves with the appreciation of everyone at the Club for his work in helping us to achieve an immediate return to the Premier League during the 2023/24 season.
“The Board will now commence the process of appointing a new manager that will lead our return to the Premier League and continue the implementation of our long-term vision for the success of Leicester City Football Club.”
It has been reported that Leicester will receive a compensation fee of £10 million for Maresca – making the 44-year-old one of the most expensive managers in British football history.
Some of that fee could be used to pay the reported £3.5 million compensation fee to appoint West Brom boss Carlos Corberan, who is currently (as per The Telegraph) a leading contender to take charge at the King Power Stadium.
Steve Cooper, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Graham Potter are among the other contenders to take the vacant role, with Maresca bringing the majority of his key staff over to Chelsea.
