Chelsea on red alert as Man City add Enzo Maresca to Pep Guardiola contingency shortlist
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Manchester City have put Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca on their list of potential replacements for Pep Guardiola, who may leave the club next summer, according to reports.
Guardiola is under contract with Manchester City until June 2027, but The Athletic claims that the club are preparing for the head coach's potential early exit this summer.
Manchester City are said to be advancing contingency planning for such an outcome, with Chelsea's Maresca high on their shortlist of potential replacements, and it is easy to see why.
Maresca spent time as a coach for Manchester City's Under-21s before becoming an assistant to Guardiola in the first team in 2022.
He knows the club well, and the club knows him well.
That said, Maresca is tied to Chelsea contractually until 2029, with the club having an option to extend it for another 12 months, so the club should be in a strong position in any potential negotiations.
The Italian's recent comment about going through "the worst 48 hours" of his time at Chelsea sparked controversies and speculations regarding his future at the club.
Asked about his relationship with the owners on Monday, Maresca responded: "It’s OK, it’s good."
The back-to-back wins over Everton and Cardiff City have certainly lifted the mood, but there remain questions about his future at Stamford Bridge.
Bear in mind that Maresca switched representatives by joining Jorgen Mendes' Gestifute agency, which would only help him if he were to negotiate an early exit with Chelsea.
Maresca will not be the only candidate, however, the report adds, and it remains unclear whether this would be Guardiola's final season at Manchester City.
"After my contract with City, I’m going to stop," the former Barcelona boss told ESPN Brasil in May.
"I am sure. I don’t know if I’m going to retire, but I’m going to take a break."
Gerry Crisandy is a freelance writer who has covered Chelsea for many years. His work has been published on The Chelsea Chronicle and Pride of London. He grew up idolising Michael Ballack and is a firm believer in expected goals.