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WILL ENZO MARESCA REPLACE PEP GUARDIOLA: MAN CITY PLOT SHOCK MOVE FOR CHELSEA BOSS

Why is Enzo Maresca questioning his Chelsea future? New reports link the Italian to a sensational Man City return in 2026.

Will Enzo Maresca Replace Pep Guardiola: Man City Plot Shock Move for Chelsea Boss
Is Maresca Leaving Chelsea

Word is, Chelsea's manager, Enzo Maresca, is high up on Man City's list to replace Pep Guardiola when he eventually leaves. He's had two stints at City before and could be back for a third when Guardiola, the star coach, decides to leave the team.

Guardiola's contract: Will he break it?

The Athletic says City is already planning for 2026, just in case Guardiola leaves before his contract ends in 2027.

Some sources say that people think this might be Guardiola's last season at City, and he'll probably decide for sure closer to the end of the season. The team wants to make sure they have a good replacement ready.

Maresca is still well-liked at City and is expected to be a top pick if the job opens up. He's not the only one they're thinking about, but he's definitely on their radar.

Guardiola wants to take a breather after City.

City knows Guardiola usually waits relatively late before deciding what to do, so they need to be prepared. The Athletic also says that the Financial Fair Play case, which is a big issue for City, doesn't affect Guardiola's situation.

He's said before that he wants to take a break from coaching after his time at City. Having been in England since 2016, Guardiola mentioned, “After my contract with City, I’m going to stop. I am sure. I don’t know if I’m going to retire, but I’m going to take a break.”

What Maresca said about his 'worst 48 hours'

Maresca, who's been managing Chelsea since 2024, makes sense as Guardiola's replacement. He used to coach City's U21 team in 2020-21 and was later an assistant coach for the first team after managing Parma for a bit.

He has a contract with Chelsea until 2029, and the team can extend it for another year. But people are wondering about his future because he seemed to question whether he's getting enough support from Chelsea's bosses.

Before their 2-0 win against Everton, which ended a four-game losing streak, he said, “The way the players want to learn has been amazing, and that's why I'm praising them. They're doing great, even with so many issues after a tough week. Since I started at the club, the last 48 hours have been the worst because many people didn't back us.”

He added, “Worst 48 hours since I joined the club because people didn't support the team and me.” When asked who wasn't supporting him, Maresca said, "In general. In general. I love the fans, and we are very happy with the fans.”

Kompany is another possible replacement for Guardiola.

Guardiola seems to want someone familiar to take over. He recently said about Maresca, who has won big titles with Chelsea, “Look what happened after Leeds [a 3-1 loss for the Blues]. One of the best managers in the world, Enzo Maresca—I know him quite well—but the job he has done at Chelsea does not get enough credit.

“Winning the Club World Cup, the Conference League, and qualification for the Champions League in a league that is so tough with a young team. It is exceptional. And he rotated, and look what happened?”

Vincent Kompany, who used to captain City and win Premier League titles, is also being mentioned as a possible replacement. He's now coaching Harry Kane and his teammates at Bayern Munich in Germany.

CONOR GALLAGHER CONFIRMED AS "VITAL" STARTER FOR SPURS FOLLOWING BENTANCUR’S INJURY LAYOFF

Conor Gallagher proved the doubters wrong against Man City. Discover why his €40m move to Tottenham is finally paying off for Spurs.

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Conor Gallagher secured first Spurs assist as Tottenham snatched a point at City

Chelsea and Atletico Madrid both decided Conor Gallagher wasn’t worth the trouble. At Chelsea, he had his moments—Pochettino liked him, but the fans never really warmed up. When Chelsea shipped him off to Atletico, it made sense. Enzo Fernandez stepped up, took over Gallagher’s role, and fit in perfectly next to Caicedo, with Cole Palmer adding that extra spark up front.

Things didn’t get much better for Gallagher in Spain. He barely got a chance at Atleti, lost his spot in the starting eleven, and pretty much ended up on the transfer list before anyone had time to blink. Interest was lukewarm at best until the winter window rolled around. Aston Villa wanted him and went after him pretty aggressively, but then Tottenham swooped in late. Spurs needed someone to patch up the midfield after Bentancur’s injury, so they just paid up—40 million euros, no hesitation.

His start at Tottenham? Rough. Honestly, that was to be expected. He’d played well at Palace before, but after his struggles at Atleti, he needed time to adjust. Sitting on the bench in Spain didn’t do him any favours.

Then Gallagher showed up. People doubted whether he could really add creativity and move the ball forward for Spurs, so his early struggles got people worried. But then came the 2-2 draw against Manchester City. He suddenly looked like the player both Ange Postecoglou and Thomas Frank were so desperate to sign.

Against City, Gallagher flipped the script. He set up a crucial assist, drove play forward on the dribble, and kept drawing fouls—everything the Spurs needed. Defensively, he was all over the place in a good way: two tackles, three interceptions, a full 90 minutes, and a huge part of the Spurs clawing their way back into the game.

Tottenham fans loved it. They saw the effort, the attitude, and the hunger to win. Gallagher just wouldn’t quit, and in that second half, he, Xavi Simons, Pape Matar Sarr, Destiny Udogie, and Dominic Solanke ran the show. Four of those guys have been carrying Spurs lately, so Gallagher is fitting right in with them. That’s a pretty good sign he’s going to work out just fine in North London.

AC MILAN MEDICAL FAILURE: THE HIDDEN KNEE INJURY THAT CRUSHED MATETA’S £30M MOVE

Jean-Philippe Mateta's £30m move to AC Milan is OFF. Discover why a failed medical has put his France World Cup dreams in jeopardy.

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Mateta’s "dream move" suddenly turned toxic.

Jean Philippe-Mateta’s got a real headache right now. The Crystal Palace striker just watched his £30 million dream move to AC Milan blow up at the last minute, all because a knee problem showed up during his medical.

The thing is, Mateta’s been carrying this injury for a while. Now he’s stuck: should he go under the knife and try to recover in time for the World Cup? He wants to make the France squad this summer, but nothing’s guaranteed. Even if he has surgery, there’s no telling if he’ll be fit enough—or have enough time on the pitch—to convince Didier Deschamps he deserves a spot.

The injury’s been dragging him down anyway. It’s messing with his form and his game time, and he’s worried he won’t get a real shot at proving himself for France if he isn’t at his best.

It’s tough because he’s coming off a fantastic year at Palace. FA Cup winner, big goals, helped the club reach Europe—it’s been a dream run. But now he might have to go back to Selhurst Park, even though he’s made it clear he’s had enough and wants out.

Honestly, it feels like only a matter of time before he leaves. His contract runs out next summer, and Palace can’t risk losing him for nothing. They’ve already watched Marc Guehi go to Man City for a bargain, just because his deal was running down.

Now Mateta has to sit down with Palace and the doctors to figure out what to do about his knee. Surgery would sideline him for months, probably killing his World Cup chances.

He’s gutted about Milan falling through, especially after Juventus cooled their interest and Nottingham Forest had an offer turned down. Over the weekend, he even unfollowed Palace on Instagram and posted a fed-up emoji. No one really knows if he’ll even make the squad for the Brighton game.

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