On July 13, 2018, Maurizio Sarri officially signed his contract with Chelsea, completing his move to the London club. This transfer came after several weeks of negotiation and speculation, partly complicated by the situation with the outgoing manager, Antonio Conte, who remained on Chelsea`s payroll. Sarri, departing Napoli after three successful years, chose Chelsea as his next destination, a decision influenced by the lucrative offer of approximately €6 million per year to coach in England.
The day following his signing, Napoli released an official statement confirming his departure. Their message read: “We thank Maurizio Sarri for the work done over the last 3 years. A job that has allowed the growth and development of Napoli players, confirming them as top players and achieving a quality of play appreciated all over the world.”
Alongside the club`s announcement, Maurizio Sarri shared his initial thoughts as the new Blues boss. He expressed his happiness, stating: “I am happy to coach Chelsea and arrive in the Premier League. It is an important new stage in my career. I hope we can make the fans happy and be competitive to win trophies at the end of the season.” Sarri indeed delivered on this promise, guiding Chelsea to victory in the Europa League final in Baku against Arsenal in his sole season in charge. His tenure at Stamford Bridge was brief, as he subsequently chose to return to Italy to manage Juventus. His release from Chelsea was facilitated by Roman Abramovich, reportedly influenced by Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli, although the prevailing feeling at the time was that his departure was a somewhat sudden decision rather than a pre-planned move.
