Former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is reportedly considered to be Manchester City’s “top candidate” to replace Pep Guardiola should he leave the Etihad at the end of the season.
There’s an intangible sense that we are witnessing Guardiola’s final season in Manchester.
Last season’s surprise underperformance prompted a dramatic rebuild. The eight-time Premier League champions have pivoted from a possession-heavy side working as one orchestra in unison to something more direct laced with devastating soloists. Many believe their tactical shift points to preparations for life without their master tactician on the touchline, and speculation only increased after another early Champions League knockout exit at the hands of Real Madrid.
The Catalan coach led City to Carabao Cup glory over Arsenal less than a week later and could bow out with another Premier League title at Mikel Arteta’s expense. In the event that Guardiola does call it quits, Maresca has been singled out as City’s ideal successor according to The Guardian.
However, Guardiola’s former assistant is hardly the only potential contender to take on the daunting task of replacing arguably the greatest manager of all time.
5. Luis Enrique
A theme is emerging among the leading contenders for the City post—candidates must know City or Guardiola intimately. Luis Enrique, currently working wonders at Paris Saint-Germain, certainly ticks that box having played alongside Guardiola at Barcelona and then replaced the City boss as Barcelona B manager in 2008.
Enrique has moved out of Guardiola’s shadow over the past decade to become one of the most respected coaches on the planet, successful periods with Barcelona, Spain and PSG having seen him ascend to another level.
Enrique’s achievements with PSG last season were particularly notable, guiding the French giants to the Champions League title and crafting them into Europe’s best team. Their electrifying attacking sequences proved too much for their continental competitors, helped by PSG moving away from their ‘galacticos’ transfer model.
Whether Enrique would leave what he’s forged in Paris for the City position is unclear, but he will certainly be in the conversation to succeed Guardiola. Few can argue against him being the world’s best manager over the past two years.
4. Xabi Alonso
An underwhelming seven-month spell with Real Madrid has affected Xabi Alonso’s previously glistening reputation, but there is little shame in succumbing to the often unbearable pressure that comes with the hot seat at the Bernabéu.
Alonso’s transformative success with Bayer Leverkusen remains a better measure of his talents and that particularly extraordinary 2023–24 campaign still earns him renown as one of Europe’s most promising young managers.
There are stylistic differences between Alonso and Guardiola, notably the former’s preferred use of a 3-4-2-1 formation, but both demand precise, aesthetically pleasing soccer. He’s also earned acclaim for his unflappable attitude, especially when it comes to handling the media—a necessary skill for Premier League managers.
Alonso has taken inspiration from Guardiola into his managerial career, working under his compatriot during his playing days at Bayern Munich. Also familiar with the rough and tumble of the Premier League from his time at Liverpool, he understands exactly what is required in England.
3. Cesc Fàbregas
Cesc Fàbregas grew up idolizing Guardiola the player. It’s why the Barcelona academy graduate wore the No. 4 shirt throughout his career and explains his feverish desire to leave Arsenal for a return to his boyhood club during Guardiola’s final season in the Camp Nou dugout.
It’s clear that Fàbregas has also taken a few of Guardiola’s traits into management.
Como’s concussive rise in Serie A has been underpinned by an attractive, possession-heavy style that highlights the individual quality of the team’s stars who all have to carry out an aggressive press. This beguiling approach has won Fàbregas a glut of admirers and points. The lakeside minnows are in the race for a first-ever Champions League qualification while also reaching the Coppa Italia semifinals.
The club’s recent surge has admittedly been helped by some clever financial investment, but it’s not as though City never spent any money under Guardiola.
2. Vincent Kompany
Few understand the inner workings at City better than Vincent Kompany. The former club captain spent over a decade in Manchester, winning four Premier League titles at the Etihad—two of which came during the Guardiola era—and blossoming into a legendary figure.
There is an expectation that Kompany will return to City at some point in the future and there might be no time like the present. Having flourished at Bayern Munich after an up-and-down spell with Burnley, the Belgian has already proven he’s capable of handling the pressures that come with managing one of Europe’s elite.
Kompany has developed a well-rounded squad at Bayern littered with superstars. The brand of soccer is exciting, dynamic and attack-minded, which is why they have blitzed all in their path during the current Bundesliga campaign and stand among the favorites to win the Champions League.
The arrival of Kompany would certainly be celebrated wildly by those of a City persuasion, and they would be in safe hands under the 40-year-old.
1. Enzo Maresca
One of the reasons Chelsea parted ways with Enzo Maresca was reportedly because the Italian held conversations with former club City about potentially replacing Guardiola one day. Having worked with City’s Elite Development Squad and then as assistant to Pep, he remains highly regarded by those at the Etihad Stadium.
Maresca is an obvious Guardiola disciple, prioritizing a possession-first approach that demands control, and he would be a natural successor to his previous mentor despite his unceremonious exit at Stamford Bridge.
With Maresca currently on the market and almost certainly eager to take any vacant position at City, negotiating terms would be straightforward. Tactical similarities with Guardiola would help the transition process, as would his significant Premier League experience.
It’s easy to forget that Maresca won two titles with a youthful Chelsea squad in challenging circumstances, including an impressive Club World Cup campaign last summer. The 46-year-old still has a bright future at the elite level and City could prove the perfect home for him.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Five Potential Pep Guardiola Replacements at Man City—Ranked.
