Enzo Maresca hired by Manchester City to anger of Chelsea | OneFootball

Enzo Maresca has been hired by Manchester City as Pep Guardiola’s replacement on a three-year contract.

The Italian returns for his third spell at the club, having served as Guardiola’s assistant manager before becoming Chelsea’s head coach in 2024 and lifting the Europa Conference League and Club World Cup in 2025.

He would remain at the Blues until January 2026, when his relationship broke down with the club’s hierarchy to an extent that he saw fit to resign from his position on New Year’s Day.

Maresca’s move to Manchester was stalled by his former club negotiating for a compensatory package should their former boss join the Cityzens, which was confirmed to have been completed by Chelsea in a statement on Monday afternoon.

On joining the eight-time Premier League winners, Maresca said: “Manchester City is a club I know very well and to have the chance to manage this team is a brilliant opportunity for me.

“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.

“I know this Club, 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.

“I cannot wait to start coaching the players. I want us to win, play good football and enjoy the pressure of representing Manchester City.”

Chelsea’s statement also lamented Maresca’s ambition to succeed Guardiola reportedly motivating him to terminate his contract, which the club believes “he had no right to terminate”.

The London club wrote: “In autumn last year, the club was informed by our former head coach [Maresca] that there might be an opportunity for him to succeed Pep Guardiola at the end of the season.

“It became clear to us that it was his strong desire to succeed Guardiola and that he was fully committed to pursuing the opportunity, despite the fact he was under a long-term contract which he had no right to terminate.

“In December 2025, our head coach unexpectedly and abruptly resigned from his position. Obviously, we felt let down as we believed that his head and heart were focused on another club and another opportunity, despite having just arrived at Chelsea the year before.

“No club wants to change its head coach midway through a season. However, in light of his decision not to continue fulfilling his responsibilities through to the end of the season, the club was left with no choice but to protect our players, our supporters, and the badge and accept his resignation.”

Xabi Alonso was since hired to replace Maresca following his dismissal by Real Madrid in the final months of the 2025/26 La Liga season, in which Los Blancos went trophyless.

Manchester City Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak believes City and Maresca are a perfect match, and said the style of football the Italian favours is a reflection of the club’s values.

“Enzo is someone who has always sought out opportunities to challenge himself and succeed in his managerial career. He brings a personality, passion and intelligence completely aligned to our needs,” he said.

“He is re-joining an organisation that is entirely in lock-step with his ambition and hunger for achievement and his return to Manchester City is therefore a welcome natural next step for both him and the Club.

“Enzo inherits a squad and football organisation perfectly suited to reflect and evolve his brand of football, and we are all very much looking forward to seeing the impact he can have in building further on the Club’s success.

“Welcome home Enzo.”

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