Manchester City appoint Enzo Maresca as manager on three-year deal

Manchester City have confirmed the appointment of Enzo Maresca as their new manager. Pic: Martin Rickett/PA Wire.

Manchester City have confirmed the appointment of Enzo Maresca as their new manager.

The former Chelsea boss succeeds Pep Guardiola, who won 20 trophies during a glittering 10-year reign before stepping down at the end of last season.

The 46-year-old Italian has signed a three-year contract, ending weeks of speculation.

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

“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.

“This will be my third spell here. I know this Club, I know the demands and I know the expectations.

“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.”

City are understood to have agreed a compensation package with Chelsea to secure Maresca’s services amounting to £17million.

Maresca had more than three years remaining on his contract when he left Stamford Bridge in January after a poor run of form and a breakdown in his relationship with the club’s ownership.

He was immediately installed as favourite to succeed Guardiola when the Spaniard announced he was to leave in the final week of the 2025-26 campaign. Indeed, there had already been speculation linking Maresca with a possible return to City, where he was previously assistant manager, for several months.

However, details over the remainder of his contract needed to be resolved.

Maresca served as Guardiola’s number two during City’s treble-winning 2022-23 season.

As a manager he led Leicester to promotion to the Premier League in 2024 before guiding Chelsea to Conference League and Club World Cup glory the following year.

He faces a tough challenge in following the most successful manager in City’s history, but his previous work under Guardiola and familiarity with the club made him their preferred candidate.

“Enzo is someone who has always sought out opportunities to challenge himself and succeed in his managerial career. He brings a personality, passion and intelligence completely aligned to our needs,” said City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak.

“He is rejoining an organisation that is entirely in lock-step with his ambition and hunger for achievement and his return to Manchester City is therefore a welcome natural next step for both him and the club.

“Enzo inherits a squad and football organisation perfectly suited to reflect and evolve his brand of football, and we are all very much looking forward to seeing the impact he can have in building further on the club’s success.”