Leicester City must act swiftly to move ahead of Celtic for 43-year-old: Opinion | OneFootball

Leicester City are planning for life back in the Championship, and the focus for the hierarchy right now is bringing in a new head coach.

The implications of relegation are obvious. Jobs will be lost at the club, key players will be sold, and the wage bill needs to be cut.

However, perhaps the only positive is that it allows you a fresh start due to the upheaval. For Leicester, that means clearing out plenty of players, ensuring the new head coach can almost work from scratch.

Who will be the new Leicester manager?

Leicester will be big hitters in the Championship next season, and even with the sales, they will have a budget that dwarves most of their rivals. Therefore, they can become the dominant team in the league, and they will hope to get a new coach that reflects that.

And, one name that should excite and intrigue Foxes fans is Enzo Maresca.

The Italian is believed to be on the radar of Leicester, although any approach will have to wait until after Saturday’s Champions League final, as Maresca is currently on the coaching staff of Manchester City.

The fact he works with Pep Guardiola gives an indication into the footballing principles that Maresca has. He would encourage an attacking style of play, he will look to play through the lines, and he will want a team that scores goals. Again, that suits Leicester in the Championship.

It’s worth noting that Maresca’s only experience in management came with Parma, where he ultimately failed, and some would hold that against him. However, the fact he is back with City shows his work on the training pitch is valued.

Celtic also tracking Maresca

Yet, it’s not as straightforward as Leicester just bringing Maresca in, because he is also attracting attention from Celtic. The Glasgow giants have connections to the City Football Group, and the appeal of moving north of the border is obvious, as they will be competing in the Champions League next season.

But, with Ange Postecoglou having only joined Spurs this week, Celtic should be at the early stage of their recruitment process, giving Leicester time to take advantage.

After the incredible highs of winning the Premier League and the FA Cup, it feels like Leicester are beginning a new era back in the second tier. To ensure it’s a success, they need a bright, innovative coach to be the figurehead, and they must do all they can to make Maresca that man before Celtic consider swooping in.