Enzo Maresca, a Spanish manager, and new contracts offered – Ongoing changes for life after Pep Guardiola at Manchester City | OneFootball

Manchester City are already busy at work preparing for immediate life after Pep Guardiola, with fresh details revealing the nature of their coaching staff alterations.

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager confirmed, alongside official statements from the club, that the 2025/26 season would be his final in charge of Manchester City, ending a 10-year stay in the North-West.

City have simultaneously announced that the Etihad Stadium’s newly-expanded and revamped North Stand will be renamed ‘The Pep Guardiola Stand’, whilst a statue of the club’s most successful manager will be erected in front of the Guardiola end of the stadium.

Speaking in light of his decision to leave the club and reflecting on the remarkable success of his stay, Guardiola said, “What a time we’ve had together. Don’t ask me the reasons I’m leaving. There is no reason, but deep inside, I know it’s my time.”

He continued, “Nothing is eternal, if it was, I would be here. Eternal will be the feeling, the people, the memories, the love I have for my Manchester City.”

And as City already look to prepare themselves for a new era, talk of the immediate successor to Guardiola has emerged, as well as a mention of an alternative to the candidate that the club are seemingly focussing in on.

The expected changes within Man City’s backroom staff

That is according to the information of MailSport’s Jack Gaughan, who confirms that Enzo Maresca is set to be named as Manchester City’s new manager following confirmation of Pep Guardiola’s exit from the club this summer.

City’s Director of Football, Hugo Viana is said to have informally spoke to Maresca before Christmas about the prospect of taking over the role, while it is also revealed that the club held discussions with a Spanish manager – who is not named within the report.

Aside from the arrival of Maresca and departure of Guardiola, it is currently unknown how many of the club’s existing backroom staff will stay – with fitness coach Lorenzo Buenaventura and goalkeeping coach Xabi Mancisidor set to leave – although assistant Pep Lijnders had reportedly been offered a new contract.

But despite that offer, follow-up reporting elsewhere has revealed that the Dutchman is due to leave the club, rejecting the opportunity to become one of Enzo Maresca’s assistants in a new-look backroom set-up.

Interestingly, Gaughan’s report also reveals that Manchester City have explored the possibility of hiring Pep Guardiola’s right-hand man, Manel Estiarte, on a part-time consultancy basis next season.

What does the summer hold for Manchester City?

Aside from the obvious in seeing Enzo Maresca arrive at the club, Pep Guardiola departing, other changes within the staffing structure, and the FIFA World Cup, there is likely to be plenty of alterations as a new dawn emerges.

City will be preparing for a pre-season tour of Far-East Asia, with a match up against Inter already confirmed to take place in Hong Kong on Saturday 1 August, with other matches expected to be finalised.

In the meantime, sporting director Hugo Viana will also have one eye on the transfer market, with Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson the primary central midfield target, and business expected at right-back as well as wide attacking roles.