Celtic will make an approach to speak to Enzo Maresca after tonight’s UEFA Champions League final between Manchester City and Inter Milan.
The Daily Record reports that the City coach will be spoken to by the Bhoys as the search for Ange Postecoglou’s replacement continues.
Celtic are believed to have already spoken to a number of candidates regarding the position, with the latest name – Daniel Farke – emerging today via reporters in Germany.
Maresca is a long-standing managerial candidate at the Bhoys and spoke to the club in 2021 prior to Postecoglou’s arrival. Dermot Desmond is said to have been impressed by those discussions.
He’s one of Pep Guardiola’s assistant coaches and Celtic have been waiting for the UEFA Champions League final to pass before opening their latest round of discussions with him and figuring out if he is indeed the man for the job.
Maresca’s potential appointment is not without challenges. Other clubs are said to be keen on his services including Leicester City.
His inexperience would no doubt raise a few eyebrows, too. Celtic would have to engage supporters positively about why he is suitable for the job. His only real management gig to date came at Parma two years ago and he left after just 14 games in charge.
Undoubtedly he has strong coaching credentials – he wouldn’t have such a prominent role at City otherwise. But it’s a different thing entirely to take charge of a Champions League team that operates in such a high-pressurised environment in Glasgow.
Still, if Celtic feel he is the man for the job, he will have the backing of the majority of fans heading into the new season. There’s no real option other than unity.
Whether Maresca is the man or not, it seems likely we’ll see an acceleration in Celtic’s quest for a manager over the next seven days as the clock ticks towards pre-season early next month.
In other news, Report: Celtic remain steadfast after official Spurs approaches.
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