Manchester City have officially appointed Enzo Maresca as their new manager, signing him to a three-year contract. Maresca returns to the club where he previously served as an assistant to Pep Guardiola. His appointment follows Guardiola’s departure after a successful 10-year tenure with the club.
City paid Chelsea £17m in compensation for Maresca’s services. Additionally, Maresca reached a personal settlement with the west London club following his departure from Stamford Bridge earlier in the year. The move comes after Maresca’s unexpected resignation from Chelsea on 1 January 2026.
Maresca’s departure from Chelsea
Chelsea released a statement detailing the circumstances surrounding Maresca’s exit. According to the club, Maresca informed them in autumn last year about a potential opportunity to succeed Guardiola at the end of the season. Chelsea stated it became clear that Maresca had a strong desire to pursue this opportunity, despite being under a long-term contract that he could not unilaterally terminate.
In December 2025, Maresca unexpectedly resigned from his position. Chelsea expressed feeling let down, believing his focus had shifted to another club and opportunity, despite having only joined Chelsea the previous year. The club indicated that his decision not to continue fulfilling his responsibilities through to the end of the season left them with no choice but to accept his resignation to protect the club’s interests.
A confidential settlement was reached between Chelsea and Manchester City, which included compensation. A separate confidential settlement was also agreed upon with Maresca, under which he will pay compensation to Chelsea. Maresca himself released a statement apologising for any disruption his departure caused.
During his time at Chelsea, Maresca led the club to a fourth-place finish in the Premier League, securing a return to the Champions League after a two-year absence. He also guided Chelsea to victory in the Europa Conference League, beating Real Betis 4-1 in the final, and won the Club World Cup for the second time, defeating Paris St-Germain 3-0 in the final.
Looking ahead at Manchester City
Maresca’s appointment was anticipated since Guardiola announced his decision to leave. City’s chief executive, Ferran Soriano, highlighted Maresca as the standout candidate, noting his personality, vision for football, integrity, charisma, and passion. Soriano also referenced Maresca’s previous successes at Chelsea and Leicester, as well as his track record within City’s elite development team and his contribution to the historic treble season.
Maresca expressed his enthusiasm for returning to Manchester City, a club he knows well. He described City as an incredibly well-run club with innovative, planned, and purposeful operations, which he considers a dream situation for a manager. He looks forward to working with the players and aims to win, play good football, and embrace the pressure of representing Manchester City.
Maresca’s first match in charge of City will be on Saturday 1 August, when they face Internazionale at the start of a pre-season tour in South Korea. His first competitive game will be the Community Shield at Wembley on Sunday 16 August against Arsenal, followed by the start of the league season at home to Bournemouth the subsequent weekend.
Chelsea, meanwhile, has appointed Xabi Alonso as manager for the upcoming season, praising his exceptional football mind and professional integrity.
Read Also
Source: chelseafc.com
