- Maresca set to become next Man City manager
- Endorsed by Pep Guardiola himself
- Move will see Chelsea receive compensation
Manchester City are set to appoint a manager recommended by Pep Guardiola himself, but this will involve making payment to his former club.
Enzo Maresca looks to be heading to Manchester, but there is an issue which stems back to his time at Chelsea.
The manager was approached by both Man City and Juventus when he was at the London club, which he failed to report.
This means Maresca breached his contract, and Chelsea feel he stepped down from his role there to pursue a move to the Citizens, a claim his team denies.
The Blues are expecting to be paid a compensation package, but will look at taking legal action if this does not come to fruition.
Enzo Maresca and Man City chose each other
City will hope they can appoint Maresca without any hiccups, as according to talkSPORT, Guardiola has ‘personally endorsed’ the Italian.
Man City’s current manager had some input in the decision to select Maresca, and talks have been in an advanced stage since February.
And it seems the feelings are mutual, as Maresca has turned down job offers from a number of clubs in order to make his City return.
The 46-year-old’s agent was contacted by Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid and AC Milan after he departed Chelsea.
While no job offers were officially made, Maresca could have followed up on the initial interest. However, he only had eyes for City.
Guardiola’s decision should be respected
With Guardiola helping sporting director Hugo Viana to decide on a new manager, this should be enough for Man City supporters to at least give Maresca a chance.
His lack of experience will likely raise a few concerns, but Guardiola’s endorsement ought to go a long way.
Maresca might not be perfect, but who would? Filling Guardiola’s shoes would be a tough task for any manager.
With a summer to prepare for the new season, hopefully the new boss will have everything he needs to make a strong start.
City must focus on the Premier League
There is a lot going on behind the scenes which is now very much in the spotlight, but it is important to remember that the campaign is not yet over.
Man City still have two matches remaining, and they could prove to be of great importance, provided Crystal Palace get a result against Arsenal on Sunday.
Beating Bournemouth would see City remain in the Premier League title race with one match to go, and that has to be their focus.
For the players, concentrating on the task at hand is not going to be easy, especially since they were caught off guard by the Guardiola news.
Nevertheless, it is what must be done in order for the club to make a last-gasp effort for the trophy which would complete a domestic treble.
