Manchester City have appointed former Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca to take charge as Pep Guardiola steps down at the conclusion of last season, marking the start of a new chapter at the Etihad Stadium.
Maresca has agreed a three-year deal with the club, though the move took longer than expected as negotiations dragged on for several weeks before being finalized.
Quick facts
- Enzo Maresca has been hired to lead Manchester City after Pep Guardiola’s departure at the end of last season.
- Maresca signed a three-year contract with City.
- His appointment was delayed due to Chelsea’s request for compensation reported to be £17 million (about $22 million).
- Maresca previously worked under Guardiola at City during the 2022-23 season.
- He also coached Leicester in the Championship and Chelsea in the Premier League.
- He is expected to guide City back to challenging for the Premier League title after two seasons without winning it.
“Manchester City is a club I know very well and to have the chance to manage this team is a brilliant opportunity for me,” Maresca said. He praised the club’s structure, describing it as innovative, carefully planned and driven by purpose, adding that it gives a manager the stability needed to work effectively.
The 46-year-old had been repeatedly linked with the City role once reports suggested Guardiola could be preparing to leave. However, the final confirmation was not immediate, with Chelsea’s financial demands becoming the main stumbling block.
City’s new boss was still under contract with Chelsea until 2029, meaning his January exit triggered the need for a compensation agreement. Chelsea reportedly requested £17 million (around $22 million) before allowing the transfer to proceed.
In an unusual move, Chelsea issued a statement when Maresca’s appointment was announced, aiming to clarify the circumstances surrounding his earlier talks with the club. The Blues said Maresca had informed them earlier in the season that there “might be an opportunity for him to succeed Pep Guardiola at the end of the season”.
Chelsea also referenced a dramatic moment in the coaching setup, stating: “In December 2025, our head coach unexpectedly and abruptly resigned from his position.” The club added that it felt “let down”.
Rebuild job for City
Maresca inherits the challenge of returning City to the top of English football after two years without lifting the Premier League trophy. City’s supporters will be watching closely for signs of how quickly the new manager can impose his methods and shape a title-level squad again.
One reason City are comfortable with the appointment is Maresca’s previous familiarity with the club’s environment. He spent the 2022-23 campaign as an assistant under Guardiola, a period that produced a Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup treble.
Before that, Maresca also worked within City’s system, guiding the elite development team to the Premier League 2 title in 2020-21. He is also a former midfielder who played for Juventus and West Brom.
“This will be my third spell here. I know this club, I know the demands and I know the expectations,” Maresca said. He thanked the people at the club for their confidence and said he is eager to get started with the squad, insisting he wants City to win, play attractive football and handle the pressure of representing Manchester City.
Maresca returns to management after leaving Chelsea under a cloud on New Year’s Day, with his exit sparking strong feelings inside the dressing room. His first season at Stamford Bridge had looked like a bright start, with Chelsea finishing fourth in the Premier League while also winning the UEFA Conference League and the Club World Cup.
Despite that early success, the relationship between Maresca and parts of the squad reportedly deteriorated as his departure approached. The statement noted that both Enzo Fernandez and Marc Cucurella—who has since joined Real Madrid—voiced frustration about the way the situation ended.
Maresca had arrived at Chelsea after leading Leicester to promotion from the Championship in 2023-24. He is widely seen as a disciple of Guardiola, using the Spaniard’s possession-based approach as the foundation for his own football ideas.
But repeating Guardiola’s achievements is expected to be a major test for Maresca. He will walk into a squad that has been reshaped substantially over the past 18 months, as City moved away from several key figures who helped define their dominant title-winning era.
