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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
Aidan Smith

Celtic manager latest as Enzo Maresca given green light by Manchester City

Enzo Maresca has been given the green light by Manchester City to join Celtic as manager, if he is given the opportunity, according to reports.

Pep Guardiola's assistant is currently amongst the favourites to replace Ange Postecoglou in Glasgow after the Aussie departed for Tottenham in the Premier League.

Maresca was sounded out for the Celtc job before Postecoglou was appointed in 2021 and reports suggest that the club could revisit their interest in the Italian.

Football Scotland now report that Man City will not stand in the way of the former Parma manager, due to an unwritten City Football Group rule.

It is understood any talks between Maresca and Celtic are on hold until after Saturday's Champions League final.

Brendan Rodgers is also in the running for the vacant Parkhead role and former Celtic defender Mark Wilson insists his former club should go all out to bring the former Leicester boss back to Glasgow.

The former Liverpool manager has previously stated he would be open to a return to Celtic Park if the timing was right, but accepted he might not be welcomed by fans who were hurt by the manner of his sudden exit to Leicester in February 2019 after winning seven domestic trophies out of seven.

There are reports that Rodgers would prefer a longer break after losing his job as Foxes manager in early April but talk of a return is lingering.

“If Celtic have got the option to bring him back, I would in a heartbeat, I really would,” Wilson said.

“Brendan Rodgers is a top-tier manager, his history shows that. You don’t get the Liverpool job if you’re not a top-tier manager, you don’t get the success in Glasgow he had if you’re not a top-class manager.

“He had a style of football here that the supporters and players bought into, possession-based. It was terrific to watch and it yielded trophies, year after year.

“Of course the baggage he has with some Celtic fans, the way he left, would be hard to dissolve. But football is a results-driven business and if he came back and started well, and there were a few good signings in the door, I think a lot of that bad feeling would quickly evaporate.”

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