Manchester City are reportedly considering a surprise move for Enzo Maresca to replace manager Josep Guardiola if he chooses to leave next summer. Maresca left City to pursue his own managerial career, working under the former Bayern and Barcelona manager at the Etihad before moving to Leicester before Chelsea.
Maresca won the Club World Cup in the summer, oversaw an overhaul of the West London squad and impressed at Stamford Bridge. His side, Chelsea, currently sit fourth in the Premier League, six points behind City and eight points behind leaders Arsenal.
The Athletic claim the Chelsea manager is among the top candidates to replace Guardiola, with City planning for the head coach to potentially step down at the end of the season.
There is growing speculation that Guardiola will leave the club this summer, but a final decision is not expected until closer to the end of the season.
But it is a concern and City are planning for that possibility, with Maresca listed as their top candidate. He has worked at both academy and senior level and is one of several candidates.
The 115 charges facing City in the Premier League are not thought to be relevant to Guardiola’s decision to leave or stay in Manchester.
Maresca is under contract at Chelsea until 2029 but recently criticized the lack of support he has received at the club following the 2-0 win against Everton.
He went on a rant about the days before the game, saying: “It was the worst 48 hours since I joined the club, because so many people didn’t support us.” He declined to elaborate on the incident, only praising the love shown to him by Blues fans.
Just a few weeks ago, Guardiola described Maresca as “one of the best managers in the world” and backed up his claim: “The work he has done at Chelsea has not been fully appreciated.”
