Manchester City have appointed Enzo Maresca as manager to replace departing coach Pep Guardiola next season, the Premier League club announced on Monday.
The Italian joins City following a mid-season exit from Chelsea, with the London club saying they had reached an agreement with Manchester City over a compensation package. British media reported the fee to be about £17 million ($22.5 million).
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Maresca, who has signed a three-year contract, brings familiarity with City’s set-up, having previously coached the club’s youth team. He was also the senior side’s assistant coach under Guardiola during City’s 2018-19 treble-winning season.
“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 in a statement.
“The quality of the people who work here is what makes it so special, and I want to thank them for showing faith in my ability.
“I cannot wait to start coaching the players. I want us to win, play good football and enjoy the pressure of representing Manchester City.”
Managerial journey
The 46-year-old Italian’s managerial journey began at Parma in 2021, where he lasted 14 games, winning only four times.
He was appointed Leicester City boss at the start of the 2023-24 Championship season and guided them back to the Premier League as champions.
His success in the East Midlands earned him a move to Chelsea, where he was charged with steering a young but expensively assembled squad back to the Champions League.
Abrupt departure at Chelsea
Maresca guided Chelsea to a fourth-place finish and lifted both the Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup, but his relationship with the club’s owners deteriorated and he left midway through his second season at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea said in a statement on Monday that Maresca had expressed a desire to leave in the middle of his contract after being informed of the opportunity to succeed Guardiola at Manchester City.
“It became clear to us that it was his strong desire to succeed Guardiola and that he was fully committed to pursuing the opportunity, despite the fact he was under a long-term contract which he had no right to terminate,” Chelsea said in a statement.
“In December 2025, our Head Coach unexpectedly and abruptly resigned from his position. Obviously, we felt let down as we believed that his head and heart were focused on another club and another opportunity, despite having just arrived at Chelsea the year before.”
City also confirmed they had held confidential talks with Maresca last year while he was still at Chelsea.
The Italian acknowledged his departure disrupted Chelsea’s season, with the club eventually finishing ninth after parting ways with his successor Liam Rosenior and turning to caretaker Calum McFarlane.
“I recognise that my departure from Chelsea in the middle of the season caused disruption for the club and I apologise for that. It was neither my intention nor my wish,” Maresca said in a statement on the Manchester City website.
“I was treated well by everyone at Chelsea and together we achieved great success and memories that I will always treasure.”
Chelsea have since appointed Xabi Alonso as manager.
Replacing Guardiola
Maresca now faces the daunting task of replacing 55-year-old Guardiola, whose decade-long spell transformed City into English football’s dominant force.
“City is an incredibly well-run football club. Everything they do is innovative, planned and purposeful,” Maresca said.
“For a manager, that is a dream situation. It provides the consistency I need to do my job effectively.”
Guardiola, who announced his departure in May, led City to a dazzling array of silverware, including six Premier League titles and one Champions League crown.
The Spaniard won the League Cup and FA Cup in his final season to cap a remarkable tenure at the club, but missed out on leading his side to a dramatic Premier League title victory.
<small>Source: Al Jazeera</small>
