The succession planning in Manchester City has become a serious issue ahead of the club’s success, as Pep Guardiola remains not sure of his future at the club.
The top management of Manchester City is known to be making contingency plans in the event that Pep Guardiola leaves sooner than anticipated.
Guardiola has signed an extension until June 2027, but it is reported that he might quit after the summer of 2022.
The 54-year-old has in the past been quoted as saying that he will take a break in management and may not dismiss retirement after his tenure in City.
Reportedly, City are already preparing for that eventuality and have started scouting possible successors.
According to the report, Enzo Maresca is one of the high-ranking candidates being considered because he is conversant with the football structure of the club.
Maresca was a member of the coaching staff at City, having been responsible as an assistant to Guardiola in the 2022 23 season.
He led the Elite Development Squad of the club before that position, imbuing traditional positional guiding principles and methodology of training with Guardiola.
In 2023, the Italian coach left City to manage Leicester City and won the championship, leading them back to the Premier League.
This achievement won him the Chelsea job, where Enzo Maresca signed a long-term contract that expires in 2029 with an option to renew the contract after another year.
This was his first season at Chelsea, and Maresca achieved a fourth-place finish in the league, which got him to the Champions League.
He also won the UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup, and this gave him an image in Europe.
The speculation grew last week after remarks following a home victory against Everton at Stamford Bridge.
The past 48 hours are the worst 48 hours since I became a part of the club because not many people were on our side, he said.
Maresca had later reaffirmed his allegiance to the club of Chelsea and insisted that he is completely focused on the project he is currently doing. Nonetheless, the future of Guardiola is yet to be determined; therefore, Enzo Maresca is still on the list of targets of Manchester City, as strategic planning goes on behind the scenes.
Also read this:
https://bangtheworld.com/real-madrid-vs-manchester-city-comeback-thriller-1-2-haalands-powerful-match-winning-moment/
