Pep Guardiola replacement: Ex-Chelsea boss 'only' serious candidate for Man City job

Manchester City have reportedly earmarked Enzo Maresca as their 'only' serious candidate in the search for Pep Guardiola's side.

Speculation over Guardiola's future has rumbled on for months, despite the Man City boss being under contract until the summer of 2027.

Those rumours look set to become a reality, with Guardiola widely expected to bid farewell after the final two games of the Premier League season against Bournemouth and Aston Villa.

Guardiola's reported departure would bring an end to an unforgettable era at Man City that has included six Premier League titles and a Champions League trophy in 2023.

While Man City are still in the title race, it appears that Guardiola has already decided his future, leaving the Citizens searching for their first new manager in 10 years.

Maresca set to replace Guardiola at Man City

However, they already have their preferred replacement lined up, with Fabrizio Romano reporting that Enzo Maresca is in line to take over the reins at the Etihad Stadium.

The update claims that Man City are considering no other candidates and that Maresca is currently the 'only' one in the frame for the top job.

As a result, Maresca looks set to make a swift return to management, just months after leaving the head coach position at Chelsea.

Maresca won 55 of his 92 competitive games in charge of the Blues, guiding them to Conference League and Club World Cup glory in 2025.

Maresca's Man City history

The challenge of replacing Guardiola at Man City is an unenviable task that comes with the pressure of meeting the high standards set by the former Barcelona boss during his 10-year stay in England.

With that in mind, Man City's hierarchy may think that Maresca has a good chance of continuing Guardiola's success, given his previous working history with the 55-year-old.

After working with Man City's Under-21 side in the 2020-21 campaign, Maresca returned in the summer of 2022 to spend a season as an assistant to Guardiola.

That spell, combined with Maresca's experience of being a Premier League manager, makes him a strong candidate to take on one of the biggest challenges in football management.

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