Guardiola exit and Iraola arrival headline a Premier League management overhaul

Main stories

Manchester City are preparing to name Enzo Maresca as Pep Guardiola's successor, with the Italian reported to have agreed a three-year contract; the official announcement is still awaited. Guardiola's departure ends a decade in charge that delivered more than 20 trophies, and brings his former assistant — latterly of Leicester and Chelsea — back to the Etihad.

Liverpool's own search is all but complete: Andoni Iraola is travelling to Merseyside to sign a two-year deal, with the club's formal confirmation expected later this week, according to reporting from This Is Anfield. The former Bournemouth coach replaces Arne Slot, sacked last weekend a year after winning the title.

Fulham have confirmed that Marco Silva will leave the club after five years, his contract set to expire at the end of June. Silva is reported to be heading to Benfica, though that move has not been formally announced.

Transfer and squad notes

Arsenal are moving to complete the permanent signing of centre-back Piero Hincapié from Bayer Leverkusen, with the roughly £45m obligation-to-buy from his loan due to be triggered this month; Leverkusen are reported to retain a sell-on clause. The 22-year-old is set to become the Gunners' first business of the summer.

Liverpool look set to lose defender Ibrahima Konaté on a free transfer, with Real Madrid having agreed terms for when his contract expires — a deal Spanish media report hinges on the outcome of Madrid's presidential election on 7 June.

James Milner, meanwhile, has retired at 40 as the Premier League's record appearance-maker, bowing out after 658 top-flight games and a 24-season career most recently spent at Brighton.

What it means for the league

The turnover in dugouts is striking: Guardiola, Slot and Silva are all on their way out, Maresca and Iraola are arriving, and Manchester United confirmed Michael Carrick as permanent head coach earlier in the window. Sky Sports counts at least five clubs changing manager this summer, a churn that leaves several of the division's biggest names rebuilding around new bosses.

The timing sharpens the challenge. With the transfer window opening on 15 June and the World Cup starting on 11 June, incoming managers have a narrow runway to shape squads before many of their players disperse to international duty.