Could Enzo Maresca be appointed at Old Trafford?placeholder image
Could Enzo Maresca be appointed at Old Trafford? | AFP via Getty Images
Ex Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has emerged as an early frontrunner to replace Ruben Amorim at Manchester United.
The Red Devils sit sixth in the Premier League table after 20 matches but Amorim is reported to have fallen out with chiefs at Old Trafford, which led to his departure following a 1-1 draw with Leeds United on Sunday.
Manchester United are now in the market for a new coach with former midfielder Darren Fletcher having taken the job on an interim basis. Maresca is an early frontrunner with current Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner and former England boss Gareth Southgate also linked.
Enzo Maresca linked with Manchester United job
Maresca has been available for work for less than a week after he left Chelsea on New Year’s Day. The Italian’s departure came after a mutual agreement between coach and club with Maresca frustrated by a lack of control over the team’s direction.
The final few months of the 45-year-old tenure had been fraught, despite winning both the UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup in 2025. As a result, Maresca had been linked with the Manchester United job in September.
At the time, he said: “I am Chelsea manager, happy to be here. In the moment that Chelsea contacted me for the first time, I said already many times, I was immediately convinced and sure. First of all because of the club how big it is and then because of the squad, because the squad for me last year was very good and this season it’s also very good.”
Ex Chelsea manager labels Manchester United ‘big club’
In words that could perhaps give Manchester United hope of convincing Maresca to join their project, the ex Chelsea man did share his respect for the stature of the Red Devils and labelled them a ‘big club’.
He said: “I think Manchester United is a big club, they have a big manager and no doubt that they are going to do important things with Ruben.
“The only thing I can say is that I really appreciate Ruben. I've watched Ruben's games since he was in Sporting. He's a magnificent manager. Like all the managers, when you start a new project, sometimes you can struggle a little bit more or a little bit less, but at the end, you're going to struggle. I don't have any doubt that he's a fantastic manager.”
Maresca also spoke about Manchester United following the sacking of Erik ten Hag and admitted that players would tend to find a reaction after a managerial change. Ahead of taking his Chelsea side to Old Trafford, he said: “When you change manager, always for the first one, two, three games, you can see the reaction from the players. So probably it will be [difficult].
“For sure, Old Trafford is one of the stadiums in the world that is ‘nice’ in terms of intimidation. Like Anfield. Or in Italy, the San Siro years ago, or in Spain, Barcelona and Madrid. They are stadiums that are nice for intimidating.”
In other news, 'Cuckoo Land': Angry Jamie O'Hara explains one reason Man Utd cannot poach ex Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca.
Continue Reading