Manchester City has appointed Enzo Maresca as its manager to replace departing coach Pep Guardiola next season, the Premier League club announced on Monday.

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 part of Guardiola’s senior coaching staff during City’s 2022-23 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.”

The 46-year-old Italian began his managerial career at Parma in 2021, where he lasted 14 games and won only four times. He was appointed Leicester City boss at the start of the 2023-24 Championship season and guided the club back to the Premier League as champion.

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His success in the East Midlands earned him a move to Chelsea, where he was tasked with steering a young but expensively assembled squad back to the Champions League.

Maresca delivered a fourth-place finish while also winning the Conference League and the Club World Cup, though his relations with the London club’s owners soured and he left midway through his second season at Stamford Bridge.

He now faces the task of replacing Guardiola, whose decade-long spell transformed City into English football’s dominant force. The Spaniard led City to a string of major trophies, including six Premier League titles and one Champions League crown.

Chelsea said in a statement that a confidential settlement had been reached with Manchester City, including compensation. The London club added that a separate settlement had also been reached with Maresca, under which the former head coach would pay compensation.

Published on Jun 29, 2026