Manchester City appoint Enzo Maresca as manager to succeed Pep Guardiola

The appointment

Manchester City confirmed on Monday that 46-year-old Italian Enzo Maresca has signed a three-year contract as manager, replacing Pep Guardiola at the start of next season. Maresca returns to the club where he previously coached the Elite Development Squad and served as Guardiola's assistant during the 2018–19 treble-winning campaign.

Manchester City is a club I know very well and to have the chance to manage this team is a brilliant opportunity for me.

The announcement came after negotiations with Chelsea, his previous employer, over a compensation package, and Maresca had reportedly been in agreement with City since March.

Chairman cites three qualities

City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said the club had been drawn to Maresca's football, his mind, and his humanity, describing him as a "very special individual" who had evolved as a manager. Al Mubarak noted that Maresca's familiarity with the squad and the club's philosophy would ensure a smooth transition.

Enzo is very known to us and we've always been, I would say, very, very attracted by his football, by his mind, by his humanity.

Managerial record and trophy cabinet

Maresca's first senior role ended after 14 games at Parma in 2021, with only four wins. He rebuilt his reputation by leading Leicester City to the Championship title in 2023–24, winning 68% of his matches. At Chelsea, he delivered the Conference League and Club World Cup trophies in his first season and secured a fourth-place Premier League finish, though his relationship with the owners soured and he left in January midway through his second campaign, having won 55 of 92 games (59.8%).

Chelsea's sharp exit statement

Minutes after City's announcement, Chelsea released a statement expressing betrayal, saying the former manager had been distracted by the City project while still at Stamford Bridge.

We naturally feel betrayed, because we were convinced that his head and heart were already with another club and another project, even though he had only been at Chelsea for a year.

Maresca was required to pay compensation to Chelsea, and both clubs eventually agreed a transfer sum.

Guardiola's legacy and new chapter

Pep Guardiola leaves City after a decade that brought 20 trophies, including six Premier League titles and the club's first Champions League triumph in 2023. The 55-year-old Spaniard, who will become a global ambassador for the City Football Group, capped his final season with the League Cup and FA Cup. Maresca inherits a squad conditioned to Guardiola's exacting standards and must now make his own mark.