Celtic target Man City U23 coach Enzo Maresca as next manager
Celtic have made Manchester City under-23 manager Enzo Maresca their primary target to replace Neil Lennon this summer.
The 51-time Scottish champions are on the lookout for a new boss as they look to recapture the magic that led them to nine successive titles under Lennon, Ronny Deila and Brendan Rodgers.
They stood on the brink of an historic tenth straight title this season, but that was ended by Rangers this weekend, who officially won their first title in a decade after Celtic dropped points at Dundee United.
? Neither side was able to find the breakthrough at Tannadice. United & Celtic played out a 0-0 draw.@dundeeunitedfc 0-0 @CelticFC #UTDCEL #SPFL pic.twitter.com/mxc6N1sVdQ
— SPFL (@spfl) March 8, 2021
Long-serving assistant manager John Kennedy has the job until the end of the season and will be looking to stake his claim for the role permanently. As things stand, the Parkhead board are ruling nothing out, but Kennedy would have to exceed expectations for new CEO Dominic McKay to consider him as a long-term option.
A number of alternative contenders have been touted, with former Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe, Scotland's Steve Clarke and Belgium's Roberto Martinez among them. Over the past week or so, though, Italian coach Maresca - who has worked under Guardiola at City since August 2020 - has emerged as a serious contender.
(1/30)
— Bhoys Analytics (@BhoysAnalytics) February 26, 2021
PART 1
Celtic Managerial Candidate Profile – ENZO MARESA
Enzo is the manager of the Man City u23 team and has previously been assistant manager at Seville and West Ham
This piece will look at his tactics, strengths and weaknesses and how they suit what Celtic need pic.twitter.com/xBxgvgQxcQ
It's unclear exactly where news of Celtic's interest in Maresca first came from, but the story has been given credence by the Daily Record, the Scottish Sun, the Scotsman and various other outlets, coinciding with a surge in betting odds that have installed him as one of the favourites to take the reins in Glasgow's East End.
The story has taken a big step forward, as transfer reporter Nicolo Schira, Maresca's countryman, reports that he has become Celtic's 'first target' to take over for 2021/22.
Enzo #Maresca is the first target of #Celtic as a coach for the next season. Maresca is working with great results with #ManCity U23. #transfers #MCFC #CelticFC
— Nicolò Schira (@NicoSchira) March 8, 2021
Maresca is rated highly by Guardiola, whose City team look set to reclaim the Premier League title this season. He joined in August after working under former City boss Manuel Pellegrini at West Ham, and has previously coached at Sevilla and Ascoli.
As a player, he started his senior career at West Brom in 1998, and would go on to win trophies with Juventus and Sevilla.
He was part of the Sevilla side who won the UEFA Cup at Hampden in 2007 - something we are likely to hear plenty about if does become the new Celtic manager in the months ahead.