Maurizio Sarri emerges as shock candidate to replace Pep Guardiola at Manchester City

Now, as reported by Sportitalia journalist and Lazio insider Alfredo Pedulla, Sarri will meet with club officials at the end of the season to decide his future.

It is understood that Napoli are a prime candidate to hire the Italian but Manchester City have also been pushed into the situation, with Sarri reportedly on their shortlist if Pep Guardiola decides to bring the curtain down on his managerial stint at the Etihad Stadium this summer.

Who else is interested in hiring Sarri this summer?

No clubs have made direct contact with Sarri yet but that can soon change as multiple clubs brace to be without a manager over the summer – with the FIFA World Cup also on the horizon.

Chelsea, Manchester United, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth could all be without a permanent manager at the end of the season as it stands, with general candidates such as Xabi Alonso, Marco Silva and Andoni Iraola being central to the upcoming carousel.

When it comes to Napoli, former Manchester City EDS and Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca was dismissed as a serious target recently but that doesn’t mean a move to the Etihad is off the cards for Guardiola’s former assistant.

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In 2020, Maresca joined City’s U23 set-up before winning the Premier League 2 in 2021. He then began his senior coaching career at Parma but returned to the blue side of Manchester just a year later to join Guardiola’s coaching staff.

Maresca has been widely reported to be Manchester City’s preferred replacement for Guardiola but the Italian is among many other managers – including Bayern Munich’s Vincent Kompany, Alonso and Girona’s Michel.

Ultimately, it all comes down to whether or not Guardiola decides to leave Manchester City at the end of the season, though his current deal expires next summer.