Manchester City agree Maresca deal to succeed Guardiola, held up by Chelsea talks

What happened

Manchester City have agreed a three-year contract with Enzo Maresca to replace Pep Guardiola, but the move is yet to be made official. According to multiple reports, the deal is effectively done and waiting only on compensation negotiations with Chelsea, where the 46-year-old is currently under contract, before City can confirm their new head coach.

Why it matters

The appointment would draw a line under one of the most successful eras in English football, with Guardiola departing after a decade and more than 20 trophies. City have turned to a familiar figure rather than a clean break — Maresca served on Guardiola's staff during the 2022-23 treble — but the unusual sticking point is procedural: a fee to prise him from Stamford Bridge, a move that also leaves Chelsea needing a manager of their own.

Context

Guardiola's exit had been confirmed earlier, setting up a succession the club moved quickly to resolve. Maresca, who left City to manage Leicester to promotion before taking the Chelsea job, agreed terms to return to the Etihad late last month. The remaining obstacle has been the compensation due to Chelsea, which has delayed an announcement that several reports describe as imminent.

What to watch next

The immediate trigger is a resolution of the Chelsea compensation, which would clear the way for City to confirm Maresca and for Chelsea to begin their own search. Attention then turns to his first signings once the window opens on 15 June — reports link City with Chelsea full-back Malo Gusto and Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson, though neither is agreed — and to how he reshapes the squad with the World Cup compressing pre-season planning.