After an intense Premier League season, the off-season offers a break where players either engage in international duty or take a well-deserved holiday.
During this time, several Manchester City players are representing their countries, gearing up for Euro 2024, set to begin in Germany on July 15. Meanwhile, the City administration is busy preparing for the new season, focusing on transfer targets and evaluating the squad for future planning.
In a notable move, former City assistant manager Enzo Maresca has completed his tenure at Chelsea. Just a year after leaving Manchester City, Maresca has been officially appointed as Chelsea’s new head coach.
Last season, Maresca was Pep Guardiola’s assistant during City’s treble-winning campaign before moving on to manage Leicester City. At Leicester, he successfully led the team to win the Championship and secure promotion to the Premier League on his first attempt.
Unexpectedly, Maresca will now be on the Chelsea bench next season instead of leading Leicester against City. He has signed a five-year contract with an option for an additional year at Stamford Bridge.
According to MENSport, although Maresca’s appointment was not widely anticipated, his possession-based style, similar to Guardiola’s, reportedly attracted Chelsea.
However, there are concerns about whether he should have gained more experience at Leicester before taking such a significant step.
Observers will be keen to see how he manages Chelsea, a club known for its frequent managerial changes. Maresca leveraged his connections at Leicester, including securing a loan for defender Callum Doyle from City. It remains to be seen whether City will be as willing to assist him now that he is at Chelsea.
Meanwhile, Brighton & Hove Albion striker Deniz Undav has expressed his desire to play for Manchester City before his career concludes. Undav struggled to secure regular playing time in his first Premier League season and has been on loan at Bundesliga club Stuttgart.
During his loan spell, he impressed with 18 goals in 30 league appearances and added 10 assists. Recently, Undav discussed his future, stating his aspiration to join a major club like Manchester City.
He told Bild, “I believe few players would turn down a Bayern offer. Everyone aspires to eventually migrate to the extremely large clubs: Man City, Real, Barcelona. That’s the final significant step I want to take one day; I devote everything daily to reach there.”
MENSport notes that despite Undav’s struggles in his debut Premier League season, his goalscoring record in the Bundesliga is remarkable.
To catch Pep Guardiola’s attention, Undav will need to return to Brighton and consistently score goals. However, time is not on his side.
At 27, he should be in his prime, making the 2024/25 season crucial for achieving his dream move. If Undav can demonstrate his scoring prowess back in the Premier League, he might yet realize his ambition of playing for one of Europe’s elite clubs.
