Manchester City have finally confirmed that Enzo Maresca will replace Pep Guardiola. This is how it came to be
Enzo Maresca returns to Manchester City for his third spell at the club
Enzo Maresca returns to Manchester City for his third spell at the club
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When Manchester City got in touch with Enzo Maresca towards the end of 2025, of course he was interested. Replacing Pep Guardiola may be a daunting task but the Italian has first-hand experience of the quality and stability on offer that makes the hotseat at the Etihad one of the best in the business.
At the same time, Maresca also knew there was nothing concrete about the conversation. City have made check-calls at various points over the last decade and every time they have been irrelevant because their first-choice pick, Guardiola, has always decided to stay on.
A clause in his contract meant that Maresca had to tell Chelsea that City (and Juventus) had made enquiries, and at that same point he raised the possibility of a new contract at Stamford Bridge on the back of the interest but also two trophies won in his first season. Instead, less than a few weeks later, he left the club on New Year's Day in a messy exit that has taken City the last month and around £17m to smooth over in lengthy negotiations.