Man City face potential Premier League investigation over Chelsea’s Enzo Maresca compensation | OneFootball

Chelsea are set to receive significant compensation from Manchester City for Enzo Maresca, with the Italian having contractual obligations to his former club despite his resignation, according to Guardian Sport.

Enzo Maresca is the man Manchester City have turned to as Pep Guardiola‘s successor at the Etihad Stadium, with the Italian set to take on one of the most consequential managerial appointments in English football history.

His departure from Stamford Bridge on New Year’s Day, however, comes with a financial sting – and Chelsea are understood to be in no mood to make it easy.

The development adds an immediate and contentious subplot to the start of the Maresca era at Manchester City, who have been informed by Guardiola that he will not be honouring the final year of his contract at the Etihad Stadium.

Report: Chelsea to seek sizeable compensation for Maresca

As reported by The Guardian’s Jacob Steinberg and Jamie Jackson, Chelsea are in line for a “sizeable” compensation package from City for Maresca, with the Italian still bound by contractual obligations to the south-west London club at the point of his resignation.

Sources close to Maresca have confirmed he did not claim severance from Chelsea before stepping down, leaving the club in a position to seek compensation directly from City. The precise figure involved has been kept confidential but is described as “unlikely to be small.”

The update places City in a position of having to pay a premium to appoint the man they have identified as Guardiola’s successor – a cost that will be factored into an already significant summer of financial planning at the Etihad Stadium.

Mike Keegan of the Daily Mail has added that if a compensation figure can’t be agreed between the north and south clubs, Chelsea could then complain to the Premier League to launch an investigation into the dispute.

Chelsea view Maresca exit as key factor in their poor form

The report also sheds light on how Chelsea have reacted internally to the turn of events, with the club attributing their disappointing second half of the season directly to Maresca’s departure.

Chelsea have reported to have viewed the situation surrounding Guardiola’s Manchester City future unfold with considerable interest – and the London Blues credit Maresca’s resignation as the defining reason their form collapsed in the months that followed.

The Italian had guided Chelsea to a strong first half of the campaign before his exit ensued a dramatic fall-off under Liam Rosenior, who was sacked at the end of April before Calum McFarlane stepped into the dugout till the end of the season. Xabi Alonso will take over from July 1.

What the compensation dispute means for City & Chelsea

For City, paying compensation for their new manager is an inconvenience but not an insurmountable one.

Hugo Viana‘s summer of recruitment was already set to be one of the most expensive and wide-ranging in the club’s recent history, with significant squad changes required regardless of who is in the dugout.

The cost of appointing Maresca simply adds another line to what was already a substantial summer bill.