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Enzo Maresca is expected to oversee an ambitious summer rebuild.
Enzo Maresca gears up for this third spell with Manchester City. (Picture Credit: X/Enzo Maresca signs for manchester city)
Manchester City have appointed former Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca as Pep Guardiola’s successor, ushering in a new chapter after the Spaniard stepped down at the end of last season. The Premier League club confirmed Maresca’s appointment on Monday after the Italian agreed to a three-year contract. His move to the Etihad Stadium was delayed for several weeks before the deal was finally completed.
“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.
“City is an incredibly well-run football club. Everything they do is innovative, planned and purposeful. For a manager, that is a dream situation. It provides the consistency I need to do my job effectively.”
The 46-year-old had long been regarded as the leading candidate to replace Guardiola after reports emerged that the City manager was set to leave.
However, negotiations were complicated by Chelsea’s demand for a reported £17 million ($22 million) compensation package, with Maresca still under contract at Stamford Bridge until 2029 before leaving the club in January.
Chelsea also released a statement following City’s announcement, saying Maresca had informed the club earlier in the season “there might be an opportunity for him to succeed Pep Guardiola at the end of the season”.
The London club added: “In December 2025, our head coach unexpectedly and abruptly resigned from his position.”
“Obviously, we felt let down.”
Maresca takes charge with the task of returning Manchester City to the top of English football after the club endured two consecutive seasons without winning the Premier League title.
The Italian is no stranger to the Etihad. He served as one of Guardiola’s assistant coaches during the 2022-23 campaign, helping City complete a historic treble by winning the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup. He had also guided City’s Elite Development Squad to the Premier League 2 title in the 2020-21 season.
“This will be my third spell here. I know this club, I know the demands and I know the expectations,” Maresca said.
“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.”
Maresca returns to management after leaving Chelsea on New Year’s Day following a turbulent end to his tenure.
His time at Stamford Bridge began on a positive note, with Chelsea finishing fourth in the Premier League while also lifting the UEFA Conference League and Club World Cup in his debut season.
Known for his meticulous approach, Maresca maintained a strong rapport with his players, with Enzo Fernandez and Marc Cucurella, who has since joined Real Madrid, both expressing disappointment over his departure.
Before joining Chelsea, Maresca had led Leicester City to promotion from the Championship during the 2023-24 campaign. A disciple of Guardiola, he has built his coaching philosophy around the Spaniard’s possession-based style of football.
Replacing Guardiola, however, represents one of the biggest challenges of his managerial career. Maresca inherits a squad that has undergone significant changes over the past 18 months as City transitioned away from several key figures of their dominant title-winning era.
Guardiola announced his departure in May after months of speculation, ending a remarkable 10-year spell at the club.
Although City won both the FA Cup and League Cup in his final season, they finished second in the Premier League, seven points behind champions Arsenal. It marked the second successive campaign in which City failed to win the league after Guardiola had delivered six Premier League titles in his first eight seasons in England.
The 55-year-old Spaniard left the club having won 17 major trophies, saying he no longer had the energy to continue after a decade in charge.
City will hope Maresca can replicate the success Arsenal have enjoyed under Mikel Arteta, another former Guardiola assistant who has flourished as a head coach.
The Italian is also expected to oversee an ambitious summer rebuild. City have reportedly agreed a club-record deal with Nottingham Forest for England midfielder Elliot Anderson and are also said to be pursuing Bournemouth forward Eli Junior Kroupi.
With AFP Inputs
About the Author
Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience …Read More
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