Enzo Maresca eyes Man City visit NEXT WEEK – Pep Guardiola meeting also revealed | OneFootball

Manchester City’s players could be due for their first meeting with Enzo Maresca as soon as next week, according to new reports.

The acceleration in developments concerning life after Pep Guardiola comes amid a chaotic week at the Etihad Stadium, and following Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw at Bournemouth – which mathematically handed the Premier League title to Arsenal.

With Pep Guardiola publicly pointing towards talks with Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak instead of confirming any decision on his future, the sporting department under sporting director Hugo Viana is already working to establish a clear succession plan and process.

Enzo Maresca’s expected arrival represents a calculated move by the City hierarchy to preserve tactical identity, with the 46-year-old Italian having helped master the club’s iconic 2023 Treble before managing Leicester City and Chelsea.

As the first-team squad braces itself for a further squad reshuffle – including the exits of Bernardo Silva and John Stones – a clean backroom integration is designed to insulate the squad from post-season uncertainty.

Enzo Maresca targets immediate Man City squad meeting

Now, according to the Manchester Evening News’ Jeremy Cross, Enzo Maresca would like to speak to Manchester City’s group of players next week after their Premier League finale against Aston Villa, to introduce himself and run through pre-season plans.

The Italian coach is also set to hold detailed talks with his predecessor and former colleague Pep Guardiola in an attempt to get the low down on the Etihad Stadium squad he is set to inherit from the start of next season.

Could Pep Guardiola really be willing to help?

A reported tactical handover between Pep Guardiola and Enzo Maresca would mark a remarkably rare display of institutional harmony during a high-profile managerial exit.

Rather than a clean break, a collaborative summit would allow Maresca to gain invaluable, intimate knowledge regarding the squad’s current state-of-play ahead of the pre-season schedule later this summer.

Any willingness from Pep Guardiola to provide an exact ‘low down’ on individual player dynamics would certainly demonstrate his enduring love for the club, ensuring his successor can bypass the traditional bedding-in period that frequently halts progress.