Former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has openly stated he is ready to return to the dugout and has not ruled out the possibility of taking over at Manchester City, should Pep Guardiola leave this summer.
The 46-year-old Italian has been out of work since leaving Chelsea in January, but he is widely regarded as the top candidate to succeed Guardiola at the Etihad.
In an interview with Sky Sport Italia, Maresca said: “I feel ready to start the next chapter of my career. That’s the most important thing.”
When asked directly if he would be interested in the Manchester City job, he did not dismiss the idea. “Regardless of which club it is, the key is that I am ready. The season is only a few weeks away from ending. We’ll see what happens then.”
Maresca’s connection with City runs deep. He led the club’s Under-21 side to their first Premier League 2 title in the 2020-21 season, before a brief spell at Parma. He then returned to City as part of Guardiola’s coaching staff during a title-winning campaign.
After leaving City, he guided Leicester City back to the Premier League as Championship winners, then took over at Chelsea, where he won the Club World Cup and the Europa Conference League, securing a Champions League spot in his first season. However, after a poor run of just two wins in nine games and internal disagreements, his contract was terminated by mutual consent.
Alongside Manchester City, Maresca has also been linked with Serie A clubs Napoli and Roma.
Guardiola’s current contract runs until 2027, and he has not yet announced his future plans. However, he recently hinted he may stay, saying: “If the atmosphere here wasn’t so good, I wouldn’t have stayed ten years even if we won every year. I still have plenty of energy and come into the club on my days off.”
