The biggest fees ever paid for a manager as Maresca makes Manchester City move | OneFootball

Manchester City have paid Chelsea £17m in compensation after poaching former head coach Enzo Maresca, with the Italian this week named as Pep Guardiola's successor.

Maresca made the decision to resign at Chelsea after being offered the chance to take charge at the Etihad, with the West Londoners demanding a hefty pay-out as a result.

It's taken Maresca right into the top five costliest coaches of all time.

The biggest fees ever paid for a manager

Jose Mourinho - Benfica to Real Madrid (£13m)

More than a decade after his first spell with the Spaniards,Real Madrid made the decision to bring Jose Mourinho back to the Bernabeu in 2026.

It was an unexpected move for the veteran coach, whose stock had fallen since a glittering period hoovering up trophies at Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real earlier in his career.

The 63-year-old had just ledBenfica to an unbeaten Primeira Liga season, while somehow finishing third. Real will hope he can govern an occasionally volatile dressing room.

Andre Villas-Boas - Porto to Chelsea (£13.3m)

Chelsea smashed the record for a manager when releasing Andre Villas-Boas from his Porto contract in 2012.

The charismatic coach had led Porto to a Primeira Liga, Portuguese Cup and Europa League treble, with hopes high that Chelsea had secured the second coming ofJose Mourinho. It didn't work out as hoped, with the 33-year-old sacked just nine months after his arrival.

Enzo Maresca - Chelsea to Manchester City (£17m)

Enzo Maresca's move to Manchester City is the third most expensive fee ever paid for a manager. The Italian made theshock decision to resign from his role at Chelsea, with news soon emerging of an approach from the Etihad.

Maresca said this week that he's ecstatic to return to the Cityzens for a third spell, this time as head coach. However, Guardiola's are sizeable shoes to fill.

Graham Potter - Brighton to Chelsea (£21.5m)

Chelsea are responsible for the joint-biggest fee ever paid for a manager, after securing Graham Potter fromBrighton. Club accounts revealed that Chelsea paid £21.5m for Potter, who had shone at the Seagulls. However, like Villas-Boas, it all unraveled quickly in London.

He lasted less than a season at Stamford Bridge.

Julian Nagelsmann - RB Leipzig to Bayern Munich (£21.5m)

Bayern Munich swooped to secure Julian Nagelsmann from RB Leipzig for a £21.5m fee in 2021. The precocious German coach had won admirers at Hoffenheim and Leipzig, before landing the biggest gig in German football.

Nagelsmann won theBundesliga title in his debut season, but a shock elimination in Europe and mixed start to his second season saw his tenure come to an end. He's now in charge of the German national team.