Manchester City are reportedly set to appoint former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca as the successor to legendary coach Pep Guardiola after reaching an agreement ahead of the 2026/27 season.
The agreement comes as Guardiola prepares to bring his historic spell at the Etihad Stadium to an end following Manchester City’s final Premier League match of the season against Aston Villa this Sunday. The Spaniard is expected to leave behind one of the greatest managerial legacies in football history after transforming City into a dominant force both in England and Europe.
Pep Guardiola, Manchester City Head Coach. Photo: Courtesy
City officials have reportedly spent months planning for Guardiola’s departure, with Maresca quickly emerging as the club’s preferred candidate due to his deep understanding of the team’s football philosophy and his previous experience working under Guardiola.
The Italian coach already knows the environment at Manchester City well. Maresca served as Guardiola’s assistant during City’s unforgettable treble-winning campaign in 2022/23 and also worked within the club’s academy setup before stepping into management on his own.
Since leaving City, Maresca’s reputation has continued to grow. He guided Leicester City back to the Premier League in impressive fashion before moving to Chelsea, where he won the UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup while also securing Champions League qualification with a young squad.
Enzo Maresca emerges as the leading candidate to become Manchester City’s new head coach. Photo: Courtesy
Despite later tensions with Chelsea’s hierarchy over transfer decisions and club direction, Maresca remained highly respected for his tactical ideas, calm leadership, and possession-based style of football qualities that strongly resemble Guardiola’s philosophy.
Guardiola himself has previously praised Maresca publicly, describing him as one of the brightest managers in modern football and insisting that his achievements at Chelsea deserved far more recognition.
For Manchester City, appointing Maresca represents an attempt to maintain continuity after Guardiola’s departure rather than completely changing direction. Club executives reportedly believe the 46-year-old can smoothly continue the football identity that has brought the club years of success.
However, replacing Guardiola will come with enormous expectations. The Spaniard delivered multiple Premier League titles, domestic trophies, and the club’s first-ever UEFA Champions League crown during a golden era that changed Manchester City forever.
Now, if the agreement is finalized officially, Maresca will face the biggest challenge of his career leading one of the world’s biggest clubs while attempting to follow in the footsteps of one of football’s greatest managers.
