A look at the choices available to the City hierarchy as they prepare for Maresca to leave for Stamford Bridge, with a rapid appointment needed ahead of a critical summer. With Enzo Maresca on the verge of joining Chelsea, Leicester City will consider their next move. They won’t start from scratch. Previously, they had lists of supervisors they liked and could contact if their present boss left. So they’ll be at least partially prepared for Maresca’s arrival at Stamford Bridge.
As a Premier League club, City should be an appealing place to work. However, some managers may be scared off by the impending points deduction and ongoing troubles with Profit and Sustainability guidelines, which could result in a quiet summer in the transfer market. We’ve compiled a list of managers the team could turn to. Please let us know in the comments section who your preferred candidate is….
Graham Potter Potter has long been a darling behind the scenes at City, dating back to when the club feared losing Brendan Rodgers. He rejected City’s request immediately after being fired by Chelsea, but after a year away from the game, he may be interested in returning. The type of play he brought to Brighton improved his reputation, and it would suit well with how City has been playing under Maresca, so there would be few teething problems if Potter joined. David Moyes
Moyes is out of job after being replaced at West Ham this summer, and there are few managers with his level of expertise. He has proved to keep clubs out of difficulties, and he was very successful at East London, winning the Europa Conference League. He clearly understands how to make teams effective and get the best out of players. However, he may be too traditional for City’s goals. Steve Cooper
Cooper’s affiliation with Nottingham Forest may make it difficult to convince him to come to the King Power Stadium. But he could be a good option because he has been successful wherever he has gone and is known for developing young talent, considering his tenure with England’s development setup. The bond he formed with Forest fans contributed to an environment at the City Ground that boosted their home form. Carlos Corberan
Only a few teams generated city difficulties. Corberan’s West Brom won at the King Power Stadium last month, with Maresca admitting his team was fortunate to escape with the victory. That wasn’t a one-off. Corberan knows his thing and has been successful for a few years. Huddersfield could have been promoted if the play-off final against Nottingham Forest had not been marred by questionable rulings. He led West Brom from relegation to play-off contention last season, and the club finished fifth this season. He, like Maresca, is a Guardiola disciple, which would be beneficial at City, but his stint at Leeds under Marcelo Bielsa also gives his teams a frenzied edge. Michael Carrick
Carrick led Middlesbrough from relegation to the play-offs in his first season as manager, and despite a difficult start to the campaign and the absence of many of the successful loan players from his first season, they finished just outside the top six. Carrick has been acclaimed for the game he has introduced at the Riverside, and he will be respected by the players for the level he achieved with Manchester United during his playing career. Oscar Garcia
OH Leuven manager Garcia stated last month: “I meet with the sporting director (Jon Rudkin) every week. He understands that one day I hope to return to England.” Maresca’s departure could pave the way for it to happen. While he’s had several of short-lived periods around Europe, the Spaniard has always done well, and after taking over at Leuven in November, he helped them climb from the relegation zone to their joint-highest position of 10th. In England, he helped Brighton reach the Championship play-offs in his first full season. Will Still
Before moving to Leuven, Garcia was in command of Reims, France, where he was succeeded by his subordinate Still. The half-Belgian, half-English coach has emerged as one of the most promising young managers in Ligue 1, with a 17-game unbeaten streak setting a new record. He was performing well this season as well, until he was fired after only two wins in 14 matches. At only 31, he appears to have a promising future, but he may be too risky for City right now. Urs Fischer
There will be plenty of managers available around Europe who are interested in working in the Premier League. Under their current administration, however, City have never selected a manager who does not have at least some experience in English football, casting doubt on their ability to explore outside these shores. However, if they did, Fischer’s name should be on their radar. He won back-to-back Swiss league titles with Basel before leading Union Berlin to promotion and three successive top-seven finishes in the Bundesliga, the last of which saw the team qualify for the Champions League for the first time. After a bad start to the season, he was fired and is currently a free agent.
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