News Focus
- Manchester City are close to agreeing a payment deal with Chelsea to appoint Enzo Maresca
- Chelsea claim the Italian coach broke his contract by speaking to rivals while still their manager
- Maresca resigned on New Year’s Day after telling the club about approaches from City and Napoli
- The London club want money after finishing 10th and missing out on European football
Manchester City are preparing to pay Chelsea in order to hire Enzo Maresca. The two clubs are close to a deal for the Italian to become the new manager at the Etihad Stadium.
Chelsea believe Maresca broke the rules of his contract. They say he spoke to City while he was still working as their head coach last season.
It is reported that Maresca told Chelsea about the interest from City and Napoli during the winter. This led to his surprise decision to leave the club on New Year’s Day. His exit caused problems for Chelsea during the season.
The team finished in 10th place in the Premier League. They will not play in any European competition next year. Chelsea say Maresca’s departure hurt their results, so they deserve payment for his loss.
However, the clubs enjoy a good working relationship. They expect to reach a friendly agreement soon.