Enzo Maresca is highly rated behind the scenes at West Ham United but he has never held a managerial role before – does a Premier League job beckon?

West Ham United could promote Enzo Maresca to the top job should they sack Manuel Pellegrini this weekend, according to Gianluca di Marzio.

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The Chilean may have led the likes of Manchester City and Real Madrid during a storied coaching career but his CV counts for nothing with The Hammers slipping rapidly into a relegation battle.

The Londoners have won just one of their last 11 games since a humiliating 4-0 League Cup defeat to third-tier Oxford derailed a decent start to the season. And, with a second-half collapse at home to Arsenal still fresh in the mind, The Guardian reports that Pellegrini could be handed his P45 if another defeat comes their way against fellow strugglers Southampton.

And despite links with a whole host of highly experienced tacticians, such as Carlo Ancelotti, David Moyes, Chris Hughton and Chris Wilder, reports from Italy suggest that West Ham could instead hand Maresca the first managerial role of his career.

Pellegrini’s trusted lieutenant, Maresca joined The Hammers’ coaching staff in 2018 and even played under the 66-year-old during that infamous Champions League-bothering campaign at Malaga.

Interestingly, Maresca was credited with taking on a more prominent role on the training pitch in the lead up to West Ham’s shock 1-0 win away at rivals Chelsea last week – the club’s only win since October (90Min).

Obviously, the 39-year-old former playmaker is very highly rated behind the scenes. Maybe he is being groomed for the number one role after all.

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