According to the Guardian, Chelsea are ready to ask Leicester City for permission to open talks with Enzo Maresca as they seek to hire a new coach as soon as possible.
The Blues parted ways with Pochettino earlier this week despite a strong end to the season that brought a sixth-placed finish and European football for next season.
The Italian is currently in the running to become Chelsea manager alongside Brentford boss Thomas Frank and Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna.
As per the report, McKenna is the leading candidate for Chelsea, thanks to the part he played in helping The Tractor Boys gain promotion to the Premier League after 22 years.
Maresca helped Leicester City head back to the English top flight after just one year as they won the Championship.
However, with the Foxes facing a potential points deduction, the Italian could be tempted to move away from the club. He has a low release clause of £8.5 million ($10.7m) and Chelsea could be tempted to make a swift move for the former Manchester City assistant coach.
Maresca is open to making the summer switch over to Stamford Bridge. However, it will remain to be seen how the conversation progresses with Leicester.
