Manchester City have appointed Italian coach Enzo Maresca as their new manager, succeeding Pep Guardiola after the Spaniard’s departure at the end of the 2025–26 season.
Maresca, 46, signed a three-year contract that will keep him at the Etihad Stadium until the summer of 2029.
Speaking after his appointment was announced on Monday, Maresca described the opportunity to lead Manchester City as a dream come true.
“Manchester City is a club I know very well and to have the chance to manage this team is a brilliant opportunity for me,” he 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 Italian said the appointment marks his third spell at Manchester City, having previously served as head coach of the club’s Elite Development Squad and later as one of Guardiola’s assistant coaches during the 2022–23 treble-winning campaign.
“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,” he said.
“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’s appointment follows months of speculation linking him with the role after reports emerged that Guardiola would leave the club.
His move was delayed by negotiations with Chelsea, where he remained under contract until 2029 following his departure in January. Reports indicated that City paid compensation to secure his release.
Chelsea, in a statement, said Maresca had informed the club earlier in the season that there was a possibility he could succeed Guardiola at Manchester City.
The London club also reflected on the circumstances surrounding his exit, noting that his resignation came unexpectedly during the campaign.
Maresca returns to management after leaving Chelsea, where he guided the club to a fourth-place Premier League finish and lifted both the UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup during his first season in charge.
Before joining Chelsea, he led Leicester City to promotion to the Premier League in the 2023–24 Championship campaign.
Widely regarded as one of Guardiola’s protégés, Maresca employs a possession-based style of football similar to that of his former mentor.
He now faces the challenge of restoring Manchester City to the top of English football after the club failed to win the Premier League title for a second consecutive season.
Guardiola ended his decade-long reign in May after winning 17 major trophies, including six Premier League titles, but said he no longer had the energy to continue in the role.
City are also expected to strengthen their squad ahead of the new season, with reports linking the club to Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson and Bournemouth forward Eli Junior Kroupi.
