Enzo Maresca ‘to replace’ Pep Guardiola at Manchester City | OneFootball

Enzo Maresca is being lined up to replace Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, with a deal said to be close. The Italian was Guardiola’s assistant in 2022-23 when City claimed the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup.

According to L'Équipe, talk of Guardiola leaving at the end of this season, despite a contract running to 2027, has intensified in recent hours. Several English outlets are reported to believe the Spaniard would make way for Maresca and that agreement is imminent.

Maresca was dismissed by Chelsea in early January 2026, having won the Europa Conference League and the first Club World Cup last season. He has long acknowledged Guardiola’s influence.

“I was lucky, I worked under Carlo Ancelotti, Marcello Lippi and Manuel Pellegrini, all fantastic coaches, but in terms of understanding the game, Pep had a 100% impact on me. The first idea probably came when I faced Pep’s Barcelona as a player. It was the first time I realised something different was happening and I wanted to understand.” He told Sky Sport this before the 2023-24 season after taking over Leicester in the Championship.

His teams mirror City’s principles, building from deep, pressing hard and valuing possession, with full-backs stepping inside. He took Leicester back to the Premier League in 2024 with one of the division’s highest possession figures, and at Chelsea he kept the same approach, earning the “mini Pep” tag. Two previous City stints, as assistant and as Under-23 coach in 2020-21, plus a brief spell at Parma, add to his familiarity with the club.

If Maresca does take charge in the coming weeks, continuity would be expected. In December, Guardiola said City had to “be prepared” for his succession, and this route would point to a smooth handover after 10 seasons from 2016 to 2026.

Source: L'Équipe