Enzo Maresca in ‘pole position’ for Tottenham appointment, everything we know as ‘surprise’ links intensify
Enzo Maresca has emerged as the leading candidate to become Tottenham’s next managerial appointment on Wednesday.
According to Italian outlet Sport Italia, the former Chelsea boss is in “pole position” to take the reins in North London, ahead of the likes of Roberto De Zerbi.
Maresca is seen as a “surprise” option for Tottenham, given the rivalry that exists between them and his previous employers, but he is now being viewed as an increasingly appealing candidate by the Spurs board.
The 46-year-old is considered the “ideal profile” to come in and provide stability and a long-term appointment for the Lilywhites, who are now just five points clear of the relegation zone in the Premier League.
Enzo Maresca’s stock remains high in the Premier League
Maresca has now been out of work for just over a month after he was relieved of his duties by Chelsea in the opening days of January.
The Italian spoke out about his internal concerns at the club, and that was seen as being the final straw for the club hierarchy, who clearly didn’t want the issues behind the scenes to be aired in public.
Nevertheless, Maresca’s unceremonious departure from Stamford Bridge has done little to disrupt his growing reputation across the Premier League.
He was being linked with the Tottenham job before Thomas Frank was even shown the door, and those links have only intensified in recent days after the Dane’s departure.
However, the North Londoners’ interest in him is far from exclusive, with Manchester City also viewing him as a potential option if Pep Guardiola decides to leave at the end of the season.
What have experts said about Maresca to Tottenham?
Gary Lineker recently backed Spurs to appoint Maresca in the coming days, as he heaped praise on the ex-Chelsea boss during the Stick To Football team’s analysis of Frank’s sacking.
The former Spurs striker admitted that he had dealings with him during his previous role in charge of Leicester City, and suggested that he would be a good candidate for them to explore.
“I mean, if I were Tottenham, I’d very much look at him (Maresca),” Lineker said.
“If it were me, I would try and get Maresca. I knew him at Leicester, he was a really good coach. “(He) did really well, I thought, at Chelsea, for a long time. The first little tricky spell he had, he was fired.”
Lineker has been critical of Tottenham in recent years, but he still has the club’s best interests at heart and wants to see them grow into the club that they could become both on and off the pitch.
The fact that he has already endorsed Maresca’s credentials should be seen as a major seal of approval by the board, who also appear to share the same level of admiration for his work.