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Chelsea: Enzo Maresca set to be unveiled on Monday after signing five-year deal to become head coach
The 44-year-old, who will succeed Mauricio Pochettino at Stamford Bridge, has agreed a five-year deal and will move from Leicester after leading them back to the Premier League by winning the Championship.
Maresca was Chelsea’s number-one choice after a shortlist featuring Brentford boss Thomas Frank, Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna and Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi was drawn up.
The Italian’s release clause at the King Power Stadium is understood to have been between £8m and £10m.
Maresca is taking six members of his backroom staff from Leicester with him, including former Chelsea goalkeeper Willy Cabellero.
Chelsea co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart led the recruitment process after being entrusted by co-owners Behdad Eghbali and Todd Boehly.
They travelled to Marbella for face-to-face talks with Maresca after Leicester gave permission for discussions to commence.
Chelsea were impressed by the depth and breadth of Maresca’s knowledge about their squad in talks with his representatives, as well as his focus on the way Chelsea want to play and his desire for the job.
Maresca’s obsession with possession and positional play made him the leading candidate to replace Pochettino, who left by mutual consent.
Chelsea fans have shared split thoughts as Enzo Maresca is set to replace Mauricio Pochettino at Stamford Bridge.
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Chelsea fans have differing views on Maresca
The contract length reflects that Chelsea are focused on bringing long-term success back to the club and ends any future speculation about renewals.
Senior Chelsea figures believe the new head coach will be the final piece of the jigsaw 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. Trading is likely to see the signing of a new No 9 and centre-back, while the futures of high-earners such as Romelu Lukaku and Kepa Arrizabalaga need to be resolved.
“Chelsea have had a very thorough process with Kieran McKenna, Thomas Frank and Roberto De Zerbi all considered, but they feel Maresca is the one for them.
“The others were all very impressive candidates, but Chelsea feel at this moment in time that Maresca is the man for them, and he shares their vision for the future.
“He’s only been a manager for one-and-a-half seasons. He was a manager at Parma in the Italian second division and then he got the Leicester job.
“There have been some issues behind the scenes and not all Leicester fans have been completely happy with him even though he got them promotion back to the Premier League.
Jason Burt from the Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail’s Riath Al-Samarrai discuss Maresca and whether he will be a success at Chelsea
“There were problems about recruitment and problems around the fact that Leicester have been charged for allegedly breaking PSR (Profitability and Sustainability Rules) and they’re also under a transfer embargo from the EFL.
“There have been issues, but Chelsea just want a head coach. They want somebody who is going to coach the first-team squad and deal with the media. Everything else, they feel they have in place.
“You have to remember that Mikel Arteta didn’t have any prior experience of having managed 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 he did when he took over at Arsenal.
“Don’t underestimate the Pep effect. If you’ve worked under Guardiola, you’ve got a head-start when going for these sorts of jobs, however, you still have to impress, which Maresca has done during these talks.
“I’ve been told that his knowledge of the Chelsea squad, including the youth team players is encyclopaedic.”
Why Chelsea are willing to take a risk on Maresca
Enzo Maresca
Despite having managed less than 70 senior matches, just 53 in England and none in the Premier League, Maresca is set to become Pochettino’s successor at Stamford Bridge, write Sam Blitz and Ron Walker. Even so, he arrives with high expectations.
The 44-year-old will take on the job in similar circumstances to when Claudio Ranieri arrived in 2000 – with demands to reach the Champions League.
Pochettino’s surprise departure from Stamford Bridge largely boiled down to the Blues missing out on the top four. Chelsea’s owners watched last month’s Champions League semi-finals wondering why such a stage was not within the club’s reach.
But despite his relative inexperience, Chelsea do not just see Maresca as a manager capable of getting them into Europe’s premier club competition. They want an attractive style of football, based on possession and dominance.
His attachment and schooling within the Pep Guardiola philosophy plays a major part in their thinking. A Manchester City-lite style of play is what Maresca has brought to Leicester during his year at the King Power.
Pep Guardiola led Man City to a fourth successive Premier League title
That same patient play which ranks Guardiola’s side bottom of the Premier League for forward-pass proportion year after year was embedded almost overnight – in the Championship only Southampton’s percentage was lower than Leicester’s last season.
“Maresca is so embedded in that Guardiola style of play that he was always going to attract interest when he was able to make that style successful – and that’s what he’s done at Leicester,” Jordan Blackwell, Leicester correspondent at the Leicester Mercury, told Sky Sports.
“It felt like the club had thought outside the box to bring Maresca in, a man with a lot of tactical knowledge whose acumen has been raved about. That’s not only as Pep’s assistant but with Man City U21s and a first-team coach at West Ham.”
What’s top of Maresca’s Chelsea in-tray?
Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea in-tray
Head coach almost in the bag, Chelsea’s attention now turns to improving Maresca’s squad, writes Joe Shread. Despite signing two goalkeepers last summer, the Blues want a new No 1 – unsurprising given Djordje Petrovic’s frailties.
The departure of Thiago Silva necessitates the signing of a new centre-back. Tosin Adarabioyo, who is out of contract at Fulham, has been offered a deal but is also wanted by Newcastle.
Reece James and Ben Chilwell’s never-ending injury issues could lead Chelsea to target new full-backs, while their search for a proven No 9 continues – despite a combined £84m outlay on forwards Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku last summer.
Jackson showed flashes of promise during his debut season – scoring 14 goals in 31 starts – but is not the dependable target man Chelsea have been crying out for, perhaps dating all the way back to the departure of Diego Costa in 2017.
The Boehly-Clearlake ownership has sanctioned more than £1bn of transfer spending since arriving two years ago. Expect that to continue.
Source: Sky sport
Despite the persistent speculation regarding Victor Osimhen‘s potential transfer to Manchester United, the associated financial complexities render such a move highly unlikely.
The Nigerian striker, expected to leave Napoli permanently after the 2024/25 season, has been on the radar of several top clubs, including Arsenal and Chelsea. However, with United undergoing financial restructuring, signing Osimhen may be out of reach.
Reports suggest that the 26-year-old could command wages of around £20 million per season, a figure that United’s hierarchy is reluctant to match.
Osimhen is pursuing a substantial salary that would likely establish him as the highest-paid player within the club. This financial requirement comes as a pivotal condition for his potential transfer to the prestigious Premier League team, Manchester United.
His impressive performance record and market value significantly influence these salary expectations, reflecting his desire to secure a contract that mirrors his contributions on the field.
The Red Devils, who are actively working to reduce their wage bill from last season’s staggering £365 million, are unlikely to pursue such an expensive deal.
Former Manchester City financial advisor Stefan Borson weighed in on the matter, stating that United’s current financial state does not align with signing a player of Osimhen’s profile. Speaking in an interview recently, Borson expressed skepticism about the club’s ability and willingness to afford both the transfer fee and the player’s wages,
“I think there are two aspects to the Osimhen deal, one is whether they could do it, whether they have the cash. I suspect they don’t and would need shareholders to inject more funds or take on additional borrowing,” Borson remarked.
Beyond the financial constraints, Borson suggested that Osimhen does not fit United’s current recruitment strategy.
Under their new transfer policy, the club has prioritised younger players on lower wages to stabilise long-term finances,
“A player like Osimhen is absolutely not the type of target United are pursuing in this phase,” he added.
Even if United could meet Napoli’s expected £62 million price tag, Borson argued that Osimhen’s wage demands would be the biggest obstacle,
“He’s another one of these players who falls into the £20m-a-year bracket. I don’t see United investing again at that level while restructuring,” he explained.
While Osimhen’s next move remains uncertain, one thing appears clear, Manchester United, at least in their current state, are unlikely to be his next destination.
With Arsenal reportedly interested in triggering his €75 million release clause and Chelsea’s past pursuit, the Nigerian forward’s future may lie elsewhere.
For now, Osimhen continues to impress on loan at Galatasaray, where he has notched 22 goals and five assists in 28 appearances this season.
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ThePapers can authoritatively reports that some senior players in Nigeria’s Super Eagles team have lost hope of qualifying for next year’s World Cup.
Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup are hanging by a thread.
The Africa Cup of Nations runners-up are winless in their first four matches in CAF Group C, with a 2-1 loss to Benin last time out following three consecutive draws.
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Overall, the Super Eagles are winless in their past seven World Cup Qualifiers, a remarkable drought that stretches back to November 2021. …Continue Reading.
That campaign ended with an away-goals defeat to Ghana in the playoffs and they might not even make it that far this time around.
The Super Eagles lie fifth in the six-team Group C on three points. On the face of it, that’s a dismal state of affairs, but they are only four points behind second-place South Africa. In turn, Bafana Bafana are only behind leaders Rwanda on goal difference.
Nigeria have six games remaining to turn the ship around, with teams playing one another home and away during the group phase.
Some senior players who spoke on the conditions of anonymity said World Cup ticket is not certain except on miracle and the government should assures of adequate security due to fans reactions.
Among them is a regular defender who was part of last AFCON, carefully chosen his words by saying only God knows but it’s tight.
“There’s hardship in Nigeria, so it will be hard to qualify for World Cup,” he sounded off with laughter.
Another regular player said: “Abeg I don’t want to play with pressure, World Cup ticket is tight, things have gone bad.”
A midfielder was a bit optimistic saying that football is a game of luck in such situations that Super Eagles can still get the ticket.
“Honestly speaking, anything can happen and that’s still depend on the new coach. As a player, I don’t know him and I can’t say anything yet until his first game.”
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Real Madrid have booked their place in the last 16 of the Champions League after a convincing 3-0 over Manchester City in the second leg of their play-off round tie at the Santiago Bernabeu, with the final aggregate score being 6-2.
A stunning comeback in Manchester last week ensured that Real Madrid only needed to avoid defeat in the second leg in order to be confirmed in the next round. However, Carlo Ancelotti’s side were never going to settle for this, and they extended their aggregate lead inside the opening four minutes in the Spanish capital. A long ball over the top from Raul Asencio went into the path of Kylian Mbappe, who lobbed over the onrushing Ederson and into the back of the net.
Just beyond the half hour mark, Mbappe got his and Real Madrid’s second of the evening. A wonderful team move ended with Rodrygo Goes playing in the French attacker, and he showed great feet to take the ball away from a couple of Man City defenders before blasting in from close range.
That goal put the tie beyond any doubt, but Real Madrid and Mbappe did not stop there. The 26-year-old would finish off for his second hat-trick of the season on 61 minutes after he curled the ball into the far corner to complete a sensational evening for him and his teammates.
However, it was not a perfect match for Ancelotti’s side as they conceded in the final minute after former Barcelona midfielder Nico Gonzalez scored from close range after Omar Marmoush’s free-kick came back off the crossbar.
The result means that Real Madrid are into the next round, and they will face either Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16 stage of the Champions League. The draw for that round is set to take place later this week.
Manchester United are reportedly considering replacing Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford after a difficult start to his tenure, according to Fichajes, Per Givesmesport.
Amorim arrived at United back in November, with the Red Devils bringing him to England from Sporting CP. Appointed to replace Erik ten Hag, Amorim was tasked with revitalising a team that had been struggling in the Premier League. The anticipated turnaround has failed to materialise, and the club’s performance has continued to decline.
United currently sit in 15th place in the table after a disappointing 1-0 defeat away to Tottenham, which extended their winless streak to seven matches, their longest since 2008.
The situation has been further complicated by off-field issues, including cost-cutting measures implemented by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe. These measures have led to staff redundancies and budget constraints, which will undoubtedly be impacting morale within the club.
It’s claimed that United have decided to keep him in charge until the end of the season, unless a disaster occurs, but they are evaluating options ahead of the 2025/2026 campaign.
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Up next for United is the short trip to Everton at the weekend, but the Toffees are in fine form at the moment. Injuries have had a major impact on United’s season, with the likes of Lisandro Martinez, Kobbie Mainoo, Manuel Ugarte, and Amad Diallo all on the treatment table as it stands.
According to reports, former footballer Quaham Babatunde was fatally stabbed in Dublin, Ireland, sometime in the early hours of Saturday morning (February 15).
The 34-year-old was caught up in an altercation in South Anne Street, with a row at a music event spilling out into the streets. The former footballer had previously been arrested in 2018 in Italy, on suspicion of raping a 22-year-old woman.
The charge resulted in his remand in custody, ending what had been a promising football career, which had included stints at Monselice and Reggiana Primavera.
Then a subsequent arrest in 2019 for brawling – and being found to be an illegal immigrant – meant Babatunde was deported.
To date, three people have been arrested in connection with his death, with two already appearing in court. Rory Carr, of Ard na Greine in Seapoint Lane, Balbriggan, has been charged with assault causing harm and engaging in violent disorder.
Jeffrey Bangu, 21 of Cardy Rock Crescent, Balbriggan, was charged with assault causing harm, violent disorder and a further charge of brandishing a knife during the altercation. They have both been remanded in custody ahead of court dates on February 26 and February 25 respectively.
According to the Police Service for Northern Ireland, a third man was arrested in Belfast and is currently being held in custody.
Victor Osimhen could make his dream move in the summer after snubbing major suitors in the January transfer window.
Osimhen joined Galatasaray on a season-long loan move after failing to reach an agreement with Chelsea on the deadline day, and Napoli botched moves to Paris Saint-Germain and Al-Ahli.
Galatasaray president confirmed to Sporskor that a break clause exists and could allow top clubs to sign him, even though the striker is having a great time and wants to stay till the end of the season…Continue Reading.
Below are the lists of clubs linked to Osimhen despite reportedly reaching a verbal agreement with Manchester United.
1. Galatasaray
It sounds awkward that despite being on loan and the club having a deal with him until the end of the season, they are still one of the clubs who have expressed interest in signing him permanently in January. The decision came after his impressive performances and to prevent other clubs from signing him.
2. Chelsea
The Blues were locked in negotiations with the Super Eagles forward until the final minutes of the summer transfer window deadline day. There were reports that a pre-agreement could be reached, but it did not materialise before he joined Galatasaray. The Londoners remain admirers and monitor his situation in Turkey.
3. Paris Saint-Germain
PSG failed to sign Osimhen in the summer and left the table after Napoli rejected all their offers, which included cash plus a player. The Parisians have stayed silent since then, but RMC Sports claim they will try to make further attempt to sign the striker in summer when they believe he will be cheaper.
4. Al-Ahli
Saudi Arabia Al-Ahli had an agreement with Osimhen and Napoli in the summer, but the club withdrew after the Italian Serie A club requested an extra €5 million and instead signed Brentford forward Ivan Toney. Reliable Italian journalist on the Osimhen saga, Gianluca Di Marzio, has now reported that another unnamed Saudi club will attempt to sign him with mega offers.
5. Manchester United
In what could be a seismic shift in Manchester United’s transfer strategy, the Red Devils have reportedly tabled a “verbal offer” to Napoli striker Victor Osimhen after reaching an agreement to pay the Nigerian’s release clause.
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