Man City Near £17 million Deal for Maresca to Replace Guardiola

By Adegboyega Adeleye

Manchester City are reportedly close to appointing former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca as the successor to Pep Guardiola, after agreeing on a compensation package exceeding £17 million (€20 million) with Chelsea, according to Italian sources.

Sky Sports reported on Monday that a verbal agreement has been reached by all parties, with Maresca expected to travel to Manchester within the next 24 hours to sign a three‑year contract.

The Italian coach is set to return to the Etihad Stadium, where he previously served as Guardiola’s assistant during City’s historic treble‑winning campaign in 2023.

City have negotiated compensation with Chelsea because Maresca still had three and a half years remaining on his contract when he left Stamford Bridge by mutual consent on New Year’s Day.

Neither Manchester City nor Chelsea have officially commented on the reports.

Maresca has been out of work since leaving Chelsea, where he enjoyed a successful spell despite his early departure.

During his only full season in charge, he guided the Blues to UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup titles and secured Champions League qualification.

Before joining Chelsea, Maresca led Manchester City’s Elite Development Squad to the Premier League 2 title and later returned to Guardiola’s backroom staff.

His familiarity with City’s football philosophy and structure is believed to have made him the leading candidate to replace Guardiola.

Guardiola left Manchester City at the end of the 2025/26 season after a trophy‑laden decade in which he won 17 major honours and transformed the club into one of Europe’s dominant forces.

The Spaniard’s final campaign saw City finish behind Arsenal in the Premier League, marking the first time in his managerial career that he failed to win a league title in consecutive seasons.

If completed, Maresca’s appointment would mark the beginning of a new era at the Etihad, with City turning to one of Guardiola’s closest protégés to continue the club’s success.