Sources: Enzo Maresca among two frontrunners to be Man United manager, board’s new plan revealed
Enzo Maresca and Julian Nagelsmann are two of the major frontrunners to take over permanently at Man United, sources have told Football Insider.
Former Chelsea boss Maresca has support from the United hierarchy, having worked with the likes of Jason Wilcox and Omer Berrada at Man City during his time as their Under-23s boss.
United recruitment director Christopher Vivell is pushing for Nagelsmann if they wait until the summer to name a full-time boss, with the German potentially available after the World Cup with Germany.
The 38-year-old also has experience of working for one of Europe’s top clubs in Bayern Munich, and is viewed as one of the brightest young managers on the continent.
How does Enzo Maresca’s record compare to Julian Nagelsmann’s?
Maresca was sacked by Chelsea last week, after he made comments in a pre-match press conference that hinted at a potential falling out with a member of the club hierarchy, much akin to Ruben Amorim’s statements after the draw with Leeds.
The Italian led the Blues to glory in both the UEFA Conference League and the Club World Cup last season, while combining that cup success with a fourth-placed finish in the Premier League.
Maresca’s time at Chelsea ended with a win percentage of just shy of 60 per cent, which reinforces the idea that his managerial ability wasn’t a contributing factor to his dismissal.
| Enzo Maresca | Record | Julian Nagelsmann |
| 92 | Games | 84 |
| 55 | W | 60 |
| 16 | D | 14 |
| 21 | L | 10 |
| 59.78% | Win % | 71.43% |
Nagelsmann has been away from club management since March 2023, but ended his last role at Bayern Munich with a win percentage of over 71 per cent across all competitions.
The German won the Bundesliga title in his first season in charge at the Allianz Arena, and led the team to the quarter finals of the Champions League in consecutive years.
He boasts a marginally stronger record than Maresca from his most recent club job, but expectations at Bayern are totally different to any other club in Germany.
Oliver Glasner also keen on Man United vacancy
Football Insider revealed on Monday that Oliver Glasner is also hugely keen to join Manchester United, with his departure from Crystal Palace now seen as “inevitable” next summer.
The Austrian led the Eagles to FA Cup glory for their first ever major trophy last term, but he is now set to leave upon the expiry of his contract at the end of the current campaign.
The South London outfit have tried their best to keep him, but contract talks have stalled on several occasions, and now appear to have reached an irreparable stage.
Glasner is understood to be “very much” attracted to the idea of managing Manchester United, and it remains to be see whether the Premier League giants will provide him with his dream opportunity.