Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is thought to be one of the preferred candidates to take over from Pep Guardiola at Manchester City when the heavily decorated manager’s time at the Etihad comes to an end, according to reports.
Guardiola inked an extension to his deal in November last year which aims to keep him at the club until 2027, calling time on the suggestion that the manager might leave the Cityzens at the close of the 2024-25 season.
But as per the Athletic, the 54-year-old’s departure could instead come at the end of the current campaign, with a looming question mark over the decision set to be made closer to the end of the season.
The club are believed to be putting together a list of targets in case of that eventuality – with sources suggesting that former assistant manager Maresca is highly favoured.
Maresca worked under Guardiola between 2022 and 2023 after previously serving as the manager of Man City’s under-23s side, before leaving to oversee Leicester’s return to the Premier League at the end of the 2023-24 campaign.
The Italian manager joined the west London side the following summer, and has since won the Uefa Conference League and the Club World Cup with his promising young Blues squad.
Enzo Maresca is thought to be the preferred candidate to take over from Pep Guardiola at Manchester City
Chelsea declined to comment. He is contracted until 2030 including their option of an additional year.
Maresca heaped doubt on his position in the Chelsea dugout after making cryptic comments in the wake of the Blues’ 2-0 win against Everton on Saturday afternoon.
The 45-year-old described himself as having experienced ‘the worst 48 hours’ of his tenure in the build-up to the Stamford Bridge clash, which saw the side win their first match in five since their thrashing of Barcelona at the end of November.
Maresca alleged that ‘people’ had not been showing him and his players ‘support’ before their home victory, but has since refused to elaborate on who he might be alluding to.
But the manager stressed that he was ‘absolutely’ happy at the club and he looked to draw a definitive line under his comments.
Chelsea have since added to that win with victory on the road in the Carabao Cup, their 3-1 win against Cardiff City confirming that they will face either Arsenal or Crystal Palace in the two-legged semi-finals next year.
