Tottenham Hotspur are unlikely to consider former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca for their next permanent managerial role, journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed.
The north London side have confirmed Igor Tudor’s arrival as interim head coach until the end of the season, with a permanent managerial appointment delayed until the summer.
While former Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino and Roberto De Zerbi are viewed as frontrunners for the role, Maresca was also linked as a potential candidate in recent days.
However, Romano claims he is not aware of any advanced talks ongoing for the Italian tactician’s arrival, as Maresca is instead seen as the main candidate to become the next Manchester City manager.
Enzo Maresca Favourite for Man City Role
Romano, speaking on his YouTube channel, revealed that Maresca is viewed as the favourite to take over from Pep Guardiola at Man City amid recent reports linking him to Tottenham:
“What I'm told is that Enzo Maresca is and remains the main candidate to become the next Manchester City manager.
“So my understanding is that Enzo Maresca is top of the shortlist at Manchester City if Pep Guardiola leaves the club at the end of the season or eventually in the future.
“Pep is under contract until 2027. So we have to respect that. At the same time, as I told you, Manchester City are preparing the future for when Pep Guardiola will say, okay, I'm leaving.
“So Enzo Maresca is a really, really strong candidate at Manchester City. I'm not aware of anything advanced with Tottenham at this stage.
“Just to clarify, as we had many reports about this in the English press.”
Maresca left his role as Chelsea manager in January, less than six months after winning the Club World Cup at the end of his first season at Stamford Bridge.
The 45-year-old departed following a breakdown in relations with the club and a run of disappointing results, winning just once across his last seven Premier League games.
Chelsea have since appointed former Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior as Maresca’s successor, while Spurs have officially confirmed Tudor’s arrival on a short-term deal on Saturday.
The Croatian tactician replaced Thomas Frank, who was relieved of his duties this week following an eight-game winless run in the Premier League.
Spurs to Face De Zerbi Competition
Despite identifying both Pochettino and De Zerbi as leading candidates to become the next permanent manager after the season, Tottenham could face serious competition for the latter.
As GIVEMESPORT revealed this week, De Zerbi is aware of potential opportunities opening up at other Premier League clubs this summer, including Manchester United and Manchester City.
The Italian tactician is available after ending his stint as Marseille manager last week but appears unlikely to manage another club this season.
De Zerbi spent two years at Brighton prior to joining Marseille in 2024 and led the Seagulls to sixth in the Premier League in 2022/23 – the club’s highest placement to date.