This summer, Manchester City is reportedly aiming to rehire Juanma Lillo as their assistant manager.
Enzo Maresca, a member of Pep Guardiola’s coaching team, recently left the organization to become the new manager of Leicester City.
In light of this, the Citizens have already decided who would make the best successor for the Italian and who they are already quite familiar with.
City is attempting to get Lillo back.
According to a recent story from The Athletic City are confident of reaching an agreement to bring Lillo back to the club after he departed their coaching staff in 2022 to join Qatari side Al Sadd as their manager. Lillo originally joined the club in 2020.
According to the source, the 57-year-old “is still under contract for another year and it is believed that he has a clause in his contract that must be triggered in order for him to leave.”
It is further asserted that Lillo “struck up close relationships with several City players during his initial two-year spell in Manchester, and has a strong bond with Guardiola that goes back to the Catalan’s playing days,” in addition to maintaining close contact with the City manager and a number of players at the club.
He demonstrated his familiarity with success with them by helping the Manchester club win the Premier League and the Carabao Cup during his time there.
The Spaniard has managed Al Sadd for 30 games in all, winning 20, losing 2, and drawing two, demonstrating his ability to serve as both the team’s head coach and an effective assistant.
It also demonstrates how well regarded he is by the present coaching staff at the club, which is another reason we believe it would be wise to reappoint him as Maresca’s replacement. Guardiola and City are now reportedly hoping to bring Lillo back to the Etihad Stadium.