Exclusive: Chelsea copying Arsenal blueprint with Maresca appointment, says expert

Chelsea are copying the Arsenal blueprint with the way they are trying to go for a young manager in the form of Enzo Maresca as their replacement for Mauricio Pochettino this summer, according to Charles Watts.

Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside for his latest Daily Briefing column, Gunners journalist Watts made it clear how much of a relief it is that his club aren’t caught up in the managerial merry-go-round that we’re seeing this summer as Arteta is fully settled and on the right path in this exciting project at the Emirates Stadium.

Still, Arteta’s success has inevitably brought some envy, with it being widely acknowledged that Chelsea have looked at the Arsenal model as they pursue Maresca – another of Pep Guardiola’s former assistants at Manchester City.

Maresca did an impressive job at Leicester City but it remains to be seen if he can replicate what Arteta has done at Arsenal, while there will also surely be question marks about the ownership at Stamford Bridge and if they really have the patience to give any manager the kind of time Arteta has had in north London.

Discussing Chelsea’s decision to hire Maresca, Watts said: “It is nice to look at the managerial merry-go-round in the Premier League at the moment and not have to worry about it from an Arsenal point of view.

“The stability that exists at the club now following the appointment of Mikel Arteta and the fact that he and the executives are all working on the same page brings an air of calm to the club that the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United would kill for right now.

“I also think the impact Arteta has had at Arsenal is playing a major part in how those clubs, Chelsea especially, are looking to operate going forward.

“They are using Arsenal as a blueprint in how to turn the club around, both in terms of the managerial appointment and how they build their squads.

“Young managers certainly appear to be flavour of the month right now and I do believe Arteta’s success in revealing Arsenal has played a major part of that, as noted by fellow columnist Ben Jacobs here.

“Rival clubs are looking at the trajectory that Arsenal are on and thinking that they want to be a part of that. That’s pretty remarkable, when you consider the state Arsenal were in just a few years ago.”