LEICESTER will step up talks with Manchester City coach Enzo Maresca following Saturday’s Champions League triumph.
The Foxes have already spoken to Pep Guardiola’s assistant about the role but will hold further talks now that City have completed the treble.
Enzo Maresca is Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola’s assistantEPA
Leicester are keeping tabs on Maresca amid their search for a new managerGetty
Maresca, 43, joined Guardiola‘s staff last summer and has been invaluable to the City boss during their historic season.
The former West Brom and Juventus midfielder has already rejected a job offer from Southampton this summer and has also been linked with the vacant Celtic job.
Leicester wanted to hire former Brighton and Chelsea boss Graham Potter but the 48-year-old is not keen on taking a Championship job.
That has left the Foxes looking elsewhere and they have spoken to and considered a number of candidates.
Former Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard has held talks as well as Scott Parker and Austrian Adi Hutter.
Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna is also being considered.
Dean Smith, who was given eight games at the end of the season to try and save Leicester, has held talks and is not out of the running to stay on at the King Power.
Maresca, who has managerial experience in Serie B with a short stint at Parma, was also on Manuel Pellegrini’s coaching staff during his time as West Ham manager.
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This comes after the Italian experienced a major scare following City’s Champions League triumph as his father went missing.
An announcement was made at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium for Pascquale de Caro, Maresca’s dad, to make himself known to the nearest steward, while the Citizens launched an appeal on Twitter.
The former midfielder attempted to contact his father by phone and the Manchester giants informed local police, but thankfully it was confirmed at 12.24am on Sunday morning that he had been found.