Manchester City are considering a surprise swoop for Enzo Maresca as their next manager, if Pep Guardiola decides to leave the club next summer. That's according to The Athletic, which claims the Chelsea boss is "high among the candidates" who could replace the Spaniard at the Etihad Stadium with a decision to be made as the campaign progresses.
It's stated that City are continuing to push forward on contingency plans surrounding a replacement for Guardiola, who has a deal until 2027 with the club. Despite that, there have been plenty of rumours about a possible exit before the end of that contract, after nearly ten years at the club.
football.london understands that Chelsea are declining to comment on Maresca's links to Manchester City, despite the talks surrounding a potential move.
Maresca is no stranger to the Man City hierarchy, having come through as the under-21s boss for the side, before he became Guardiola's assistant in 2022. His journey since saw the Italian coach make the move to Leicester City, where he earned promotion from the Championship at the first time of asking.
With Chelsea deciding to move on from Mauricio Pochettino at the end of the same season, they moved quickly to land Maresca as their new head coach. The 45-year-old guided the Blues to a Champions League place, as well as the first trophy of the BlueCo era, when he won the Europa Conference League.
A decent start to the current season has seen Maresca put Chelsea into a Premier League title conversation, even with the loss of some key players over the summer transfer window, as well as a lack of Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill for most of the season. That has underlined the impressive job of the coach, though it hasn't been all smiles around Cobham.
The Chelsea boss threw his future into doubt when he suggested that he hadn't been given support at the club, without revealing exactly who he was taking aim at. Speaking after his side's win over Everton on Saturday, he said: "Since I joined the club, the last 48 hours have been the worst because many people didn't support us."
When pressed to elaborate on that, he simply said: "Worst 48 hours since I joined the club because people didn't support me and the team." The manager since made it clear he was not talking about the fans, with some suggesting he was either hitting out at the hierarchy at the club or the outside media.
While it's unclear exactly who he was talking about, that has naturally brought about some questions and doubts over his future. Maresca added a few days later that he was committed to being the manager, with a contract at the club that runs until 2029.
As the Chelsea boss is being lined up as an option for Man City, they may need to look no further than their own manager, Guardiola, for his thoughts on Maresca. Speaking recently about his old assistant, he said: "One of the best managers in the world, Enzo Maresca, I know him quite well but, the job he has done at Chelsea does not get enough credit.
"Winning the Club World Cup, Conference League, qualification for the Champions League in a league that is so tough with a young team. It is exceptional."
It remains to be seen whether City will make a move, as well as how it will be received by Maresca and Chelsea if that approach is made. However, it adds further doubt over the head coach's future.
The Chelsea boss has taken charge of 89 matches since being named the head coach at Stamford Bridge, picking up 55 wins, 14 draws, and just 20 defeats.
