Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca is high among the candidates to replace Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola next summer, journalist David Ornstein has revealed.
The Etihad Stadium side are believed to be drawing up contingency plans in case the Spanish tactician decides to leave at the end of the season, with Maresca among the managers under consideration.
Maresca previously worked at Manchester City at both youth and senior levels, including assisting Guardiola during the 2022/23 treble-winning season.
The Italian tactician, who took charge of Chelsea in the summer of 2024, is under contract at Stamford Bridge until June 2029, with the club holding an option for a further year.
Pep Guardiola Could Leave Man City
Premier League – Fulham v Manchester City – Craven Cottage, London, Britain – December 2, 2025 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola before the match REUTERS/David Klein
Ornstein, writing on X, revealed that Manchester City are preparing for Guardiola’s potential departure at the end of the season, with Maresca among the managers being eyed as replacements.
Per Ornstein’s report, there is growing anticipation that this could be Guardiola’s last season at City, with a firm decision likely to be made closer to the end of the campaign.
The Catalan tactician only penned a new three-year deal with the Etihad Stadium side in November 2024 but could be on the move as soon as next summer.
Having spent two years at City working with the Under-21s squad and later the first team, Maresca has no shortage of admirers within the club’s hierarchy and is expected to be among the potential options should Guardiola decide to vacate his role.
Manchester United are pushing to make some major upgrades to their midfield this summer, and that has led them to look at a number of different options in the transfer market.
The Red Devils have already agreed a £38m deal with Atalanta to sign Brazil star Ederson, with a medical scheduled to take place imminently after his World Cup participation came to an end over the weekend. But the club missed out on top targets Elliot Anderson and Matheus Fernandes, which has led them to look elsewhere.
The club are keen to ensure that Casemiro is replaced adequately, while Kobbie Mainoo’s emergence means that he needs a new partner and cover in the squad, and Manuel Ugarte’s serious knee injury has increased the need for signings. That has seen talks held with other candidates.
However, as it stands there have been a few hurdles to overcome to get a deal done, and Romano has revealed in his latest YouTube video what the Reds have told the France international’s camp about what it would take to get move completed.
“Internally at Manchester United, Tchouameni has always been seen as the perfect signing for midfield,” he said.
“Top player, elite mentality, world class, so they consider Tchouameni as the perfect replacement for Casemiro. Then the point here is on two topics.
“The first one is the salary. Tchouameni is on a very big salary at Real Madrid, and at the moment the understanding is that Manchester United already made [it] clear to those close to Tchouameni in the contacts they had over the recent months, that the only way for Tchouameni to go eventually to Man United is on a different salary. So that’s the first issue.
“The second issue is Real Madrid. At the moment, Man United are yet to receive any green light from Real Madrid to go and negotiate for Tchouameni.”
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Tchouameni Deal Looks Highly Unlikely
Sarah Meyssonnier Via Reuters
Man Utd want Tchouameni, but it doesn’t seem to be the most mutual feeling, with the France international very clearly preferring to keep his place at Real Madrid.
It remains to be seen how Jose Mourinho feels about the 26-year-old, and that could see things open up later in the window, but trying to convince a top player like that to take a pay cut seems like a very strange way to convince him to make the move.
Should he be made available, there is likely to be plenty of big interest in his services, and United will have to be able to compete financially, or they will face being left in the dust once again just like they were with Anderson and Fernandes.
There have been so many talking points during the 2026 World Cup, and the biggest of them have related to co-hosts, the United States. They have now exited the tournament after a 4-1 loss to Belgium, but expect headlines to rumble on.
The build-up to that game was packed full of drama as key man Folarin Balogun was handed a red card in the Last 32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, but after intervention from Donald Trump, FIFA overturned the red card, allowing the striker to start against Belgium. That wasn’t enough to help the US, though, as they scored just once, crashing out at the Round of 16.
Many will feel footballing justice was served as Mauricio Pochettino’s men were thumped 4-1, and it appears as though the Iranian Football Federation have certainly enjoyed the result. Iran’s participation in the tournament has been one of the other key controversies of the 2026 World Cup.
Iran Delighted as USMNT Lose 4-1 to Belgium
Daniel Cole via Reuters
The conflict between Iran and the US had made for concerning headlines in the lead-up to the World Cup, and it was unclear if they would even be able to come into the country to play matches. The Iranian Football Federation spoke out a number of times as they made it clear how hard Trump’s government had made it for players and key staff members to get visas into the host nation.
With those issues, and so many more in mind, it’s no wonder that Iran have now released a rather pleased statement following the USMNT’s exit from their own competition. As quoted by the Telegraph, a spokesman for the Iranian Football Federation reacted to the co-hosts’ exit by saying:
“Now the whole world is dancing to celebrate politics’ humiliating defeat by football.”
World football’s governing body issue statement on the referee whose integrity has been called into question by the US President
Iran Captain Was Left Unhappy With FIFA President Gianni Infantino
During the tournament, Iran captain Mehdi Taremi spoke strongly about FIFA, taking aim at the inaction of president Gianni Infantino. He said: “We always complained about these things since the beginning, it’s a disaster World Cup. A disaster. As professional players in a professional competition, it’s not right… it’s not fair… if it’s fair for FIFA, okay, good for them. But it’s not fair. Who wants to help us… no one helps. No one.
“Who has to solve this problem for us? Who? FIFA? I don’t know. USA. I don’t know – just mention one name for me. [FIFA president Gianni] Infantino came to [our locker room] the first game [against New Zealand] and said we will solve every problem here, but actually FIFA did nothing.”
Iran drew against New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt in the three games, finishing third in Group G, which wasn’t enough to see them qualify for the knockout stages. After exiting the World Cup, they released an emotional statement thanking the ‘wonderful people of Mexico’ for their hospitality, while also praising the media for fairly covering the ‘unfair and unsportsmanlike treatment’ of their delegation.
Newcastle United are now making their moves to upgrade their squad this summer, and they’re already on to their next target for the window after agreeing a deal.
The Magpies have signed Even Jaouen and Bazoumana Toure during the transfer window, while it emerged that they have agreed a surprise deal for Ajax star Seun Steur to strengthen their midfield following the departures of Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali for a combined £170m.
But despite those deals being done, the Toon are now ready to step up their interest in another top target in the coming days, as they look to get back to the Champions League.
Newcastle Moving for Johan Manzambi
Johan Manzambi celebrates with Swiss teammate Granit Xhaka
According to David Ornstein, Newcastle are now ready to make a deal for Switzerland star Johan Manzambi in the coming days.
Manzambi, who has been described as ‘incredible’, has lit up the World Cup with his performances in central midfield, and that has attracted the attention of a number of top clubs across Europe.
The club have held talks with the player’s reps about a move to St James’ Park and are understood to be the frontrunners for his signature, but they are now prepared to make a move by opening up club-to-club talks with Bundesliga side Freiburg.
Manzambi is understood to be keen on making the switch to the Premier League side, and Newcastle are prioritising a move for him at this stage of the window, as they look to get ahead of the competition.
Ornstein reports that Newcastle are in the strongest position to complete a deal, although it’s claimed that they want to lower the £50m asking price at this stage.
Howe Rebuilding Newcastle Midfield
The big talk this summer around St James’ Park was that a rebuild was needed, and Howe believed he was in the perfect position to oversee it.
With Gordon replaced by Toure, attention now turns to replacing Tonali, and it seems that Howe feels that Manzambi and Steur can do that job, despite their age and lack of experience at the highest level.
With those signings though, it becomes imperative that they keep hold of captain Bruno Guimaraes, amid big interest from Arsenal, to keep things together and help carry over the transition the squad will be going through.
