Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is on Manchester City’s shortlist of managers to replace Pep Guardiola this summer, according to David Ornstein.
The Chelsea boss knows the ten-time English champions, having been Guardiola’s assistant and coached the youth team.
The Italian tactician is reportedly unhappy with the Chelsea hierarchy and made his displeasure known, leading to speculation about his future.
His decision to switch agents to Jorge Mendes will send alarm bells ringing at Stamford Bridge.
Man City are preparing for the potential departure of Guardiola following a highly successful spell.
Maresca is on their radar, having led Chelsea to two trophies. He is contracted to Chelsea until 2029, with the option of a further year.
Chelsea would be crazy to let Maresca leave
Letting Maresca walk now would be an act of self-sabotage that the Blues cannot afford.
For once, the club has struck gold with a manager who fits the long-term vision they keep talking about.
Discarding him just as the foundations are being laid would be peak Chelsea.
The fans already understand this. The chants after the wins over Everton and Cardiff City were an endorsement of his leadership.
Supporters can see the structure and a chaotic squad slowly being moulded into something coherent. That does not happen by accident, nor does it happen overnight.
Maresca is steeped in Guardiola’s principles of positional play, but pragmatic enough to adapt them to the realities of his squad.
He manages an unbalanced squad that he did not build and still found a way to compete while developing young talent. That alone deserves patience and protection from Chelsea.
If City are circling, it is because they recognise Chelsea have a modern coach with elite tactical grounding and a proven ability to improve young players.
Allowing Maresca to succeed Guardiola at City would be a damning indictment of Chelsea’s sporting leadership.
