How Man City officials Khaldoon Al Mubarak and Ferran Soriano have reacted to Enzo Maresca appointment | OneFootball

Manchester City executives Khaldoon Al Mubarak and Ferran Soriano have welcomed Enzo Maresca back to the Etihad Stadium as first-team manager.

Maresca returns to Manchester City for a third spell, having previously served as manager of the club’s Elite Development Squad, a role in which he was credited as a key contributor to the historic Treble-winning season of 2022-23.

The 46-year-old Italian has since established himself as one of the most sought-after managers in European football through spells at Leicester City and Chelsea, albeit leaving the latter in disruptive circumstances midway through the 2025-26 season.

His appointment brings to an end a managerial search that began following the departure of Pep Guardiola at the close of last season, with director of football Hugo Viana overseeing the process of identifying a successor capable of maintaining City’s standing as one of the game’s pre-eminent forces.

Compensation talks with Chelsea over Maresca’s exit from Stamford Bridge were resolved in the days preceding the official announcement, clearing the path for City to formalise an appointment that had been widely anticipated for several weeks.

Al Mubarak: Welcome home Enzo!

Speaking on the occasion of Maresca’s appointment, chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak offered an effusive welcome to the returning manager, framing the appointment as a natural continuation of a relationship that has deep roots within the club.

“Enzo is someone who has always sought opportunities to challenge himself and succeed in his managerial career,” said Al Mubarak in conversation with official club media. “He brings a personality, passion and intelligence completely aligned to our needs.

“He’s re-joining an organisation 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’re all very much looking forward to seeing the impact he can have in building further on the club’s success. Welcome home Enzo!”

Soriano: Enzo was the stand-out candidate in our search

Chief executive Ferran Soriano pointed to Maresca’s existing relationship with the club as a defining factor in the decision. “Enzo was the stand-out candidate in our considerations,” said Soriano.

“We know his personality and his vision for the way football should be played. He’s a man with integrity, charisma and passion.In addition to his successes at Chelsea and Leicester, his City track record speaks for itself.

“He managed our EDS team with distinction and was a key contributor to the historic Treble season. We will ensure he receives everything he needs to be successful and we’re all very much looking forward to seeing his positive impact on the next phase of the club’s progress.”

What does Maresca’s appointment mean for Man City?

The language used by both Al Mubarak and Soriano is notable for its emphasis on continuity as much as ambition, with the framing of Maresca’s return as a “natural next step” and a “welcome home” reflecting the degree to which City view this appointment as an evolution rather than a rupture with the Guardiola era.

Maresca inherits a squad already in the process of being reshaped by Viana, with the £116 million agreement to sign Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest representing the first major statement of intent of the new era at the Etihad Stadium, and further additions across midfield, full-back and goalkeeper understood to be in various stages of negotiation.

Soriano’s reference to Maresca’s contribution to the 2022-23 Treble season underlines the continuity of philosophy City are seeking to preserve – a possession-based, tactically meticulous brand of football that Maresca refined under Guardiola and subsequently developed into his own at Leicester and Chelsea.