Enzo Maresca breaks silence on Manchester City links as Pep Guardiola doubts continue | OneFootball

Former Leicester City and Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has responded to links between his services and Manchester City this week.

The timing of Maresca’s comments is particularly poignant as City continue to navigate their end to the 2025/26 campaign, and while the squad is preparing for an FA Cup Final against Chelsea on May 16, the long-term future of the dugout remains a primary point of discussion.

Pep Guardiola has steered the club through another gruelling title race – albeit currently trailing Arsenal by five points with a game in hand – but has notably deferred questions regarding his presence for next season.

Enzo Maresca, who previously served as Guardiola’s assistant during the 2022/23 Treble campaign and led the club’s Elite Development Squad to league glory, is viewed by many as the leading candidate.

His tactical outlook, which heavily mirrors the positional play established at the Etihad Stadium under Guardiola, has already seen him achieve success at Chelsea, and the Italian remains one of the few elite coaches available with ‘City DNA’.

“I feel ready”: Maresca addresses the Etihad hotseat

Now, speaking to Sky Sports Italy, Enzo Maresca has broken his silence on his immediate future, amid unrelenting links to the head coach role at Manchester City with Pep Guardiola continuing to stay clear of committing to the club for the 2026/27 campaign.

“I feel ready for the next chapter. That’s the most important thing,” said Maresca.

On the subject of becoming Manchester City’s next manager, the Italian said, “The important thing, regardless of the club, is being ready. There are only a few weeks left until the end of the season, then we’ll see what happens.”

Will Pep Guardiola stay or go?

The ambiguity surrounding Pep Guardiola’s future has created a rare sense of uncertainty at the City Football Academy training centre, and while the club remains optimistic that the Catalan will see out his contract until 2027, the emergence of Maresca as a viable replacement suggests Hugo Viana is preparing for every eventuality.

Should Manchester City secure a domestic double or treble in the coming weeks, some believe Guardiola may feel his work is complete, opening the door for a transition period that could begin as early as July.

What happens next will likely depend on the outcome of the Premier League title race and the Wembley final against Chelsea, perhaps indicating to Guardiola himself as to whether the current City playing squad is ready to be inherited by a new coach and carried forward.

If Pep Guardiola decides to take a sabbatical or move into international management at the next opportunity, Enzo Maresca’s familiarity with a number of players within the City roster would make him the most natural appointment available.

For now, Manchester City fans will no doubt remain in a state of anxious anticipation, hoping for one more year or Pep Guardiola, while perhaps keeping a close eye on the man who once helped put together the greatest season in the Etihad Stadium club’s history.