Manchester City are braced for an official approach from Celtic for their assistant manager Enzo Maresca, according to reports.
Pep Guardiola's No2 has been installed as one of the frontrunners to replace Ange Postecoglou after his move to Tottenham Hotspur was confirmed.
A report from Football Scotland now states that Celtic will approach City for Maresca after he was interviewed for the job before Postecoglou's appointment back in 2021.
The story states that Celtic have tracked his progress and are now keen to speak to him about the position, after he recently turned down an approach from Southampton.
Talks will likely be on hold until City have competed in the Champions League final against Inter Milan this weekend.
The Italian works closely alongside Pep Guardiola with the Premier League champions but he has worked as a manager in his own right at Parma.
Postecoglou insists he “will forever” be a Celtic supporter after leaving the Parkhead club for Tottenham.
The London club ended days of speculation by appointing the 57-year-old Australian as their new head coach on a four-year deal.
Postecoglou – who won the domestic treble with the Hoops this season to make it five trophies in two campaigns in charge – replaces Antonio Conte at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
In his parting statement on Celtic’s official website, the former Australia manager thanked the club’s majority shareholder Dermot Desmond, chairman Peter Lawwell and chief executive Michael Nicholson as well as the supporters as he reviewed his time at the cinch Premiership club.
He said: “I would like to sincerely thank everyone at the club for everything they have given me.
“In particular, Dermot, Peter and Michael and the Celtic Board have shown me tremendous support in every aspect of my time at Celtic and I will forever be grateful for this.
“They brought me to the club and I have worked so closely and so well with them for the past two years, I will always have a special relationship with them.
“They wanted me to extend my time at Celtic and while I am so respectful and understanding of their position, a new opportunity has been presented to me and it is one which I wanted to explore.
“It was an honour to be asked to be Celtic manager and during my two years I have given everything I have to deliver success to our supporters.
“Culminating in the treble at the weekend, my players and backroom team have been brilliant for me on this journey.
“They have given us all some fantastic moments through their energy and effort, creating real quality, winning football.
“Our supporters have been magnificent to me and I thank them for the way they have embraced me during the past two years.
“My ambition was always to give our fans a team they could be proud of, a team people talked about and I think we have achieved that.
“Celtic is a phenomenal football club and so much more – and I will forever be a supporter of this great institution. I wish everyone connected with Celtic nothing but continued success.”
