Manchester City have confirmed that Enzo Maresca will be replacing Pep Guardiola as the club's next manager ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.
Guardiola's trophy-laden 10-year spell in charge came to an end at the end of last season with his former assistant Maresca quickly established as favourite to take over.
And on Monday, City announced that Maresca, 46, had been appointed on a three-year contract in what will be his third spell at the Premier League club who secured a League Cup and FA Cup double last season.
“Manchester City is a club I know very well and to have the chance to manage this team is a brilliant opportunity for me,” said the Italian in statement.
“City is an incredibly well-run football Club. Everything they do is innovative, planned and purposeful. For a manager, that is a dream situation. It provides the consistency I need to do my job effectively.
“This will be my third spell here. I know this club, I know the demands and I know the expectations.
“The quality of the people who work here is what makes it so special, and I want to thank them for showing faith in my ability.
“I cannot wait to start coaching the players. I want us to win, play good football and enjoy the pressure of representing Manchester City.”
Maresca started his City coaching career by winning the Premier League 2 title as manager of the Elite Development Squad in 2020/21 before returning to assist Guardiola in 2022 after a spell back home in Italy with Parma.
It would turn out to be an unforgettable campaign for City who secured a historic treble that included a first Uefa Champions League crown following victory over Inter Milan in the final.
City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said: “Enzo is someone who has always sought out opportunities to challenge himself and succeed in his managerial career. He brings a personality, passion and intelligence completely aligned to our needs.
“He is rejoining an organisation that is entirely in lock-step with his ambition and hunger for achievement and his return to Manchester City is therefore a welcome natural next step for both him and the club.
“Enzo inherits a squad and football organisation perfectly suited to reflect and evolve his brand of football, and we are all very much looking forward to seeing the impact he can have in building further on the Club’s success. Welcome home Enzo.”
Maresca's managerial CV includes guiding Leicester City to the second tier title before going on to take charge of Chelsea where he would win the Uefa Conference League in his first season at the London club, before going on to lift the Fifa Club World Cup last summer.
“Enzo was the standout candidate in our considerations,” said chief executive Ferran Soriano. “We know his personality and his vision for the way football should be played. He is a man with integrity, charisma and passion.
“In addition to his successes at Chelsea and Leicester, his City track record speaks for itself. He managed our EDS team with distinction and was a key contributor to the historic treble season.
“We will ensure that he receives everything he needs to be successful here and we are all very much looking forward to seeing his positive impact on the next phase of the Club’s progress.”
It will be a daunting challenge for Maresca following in the footsteps of a manager who won 20 trophies during a reign that ended with the club renaming the Etihad Stadium's North Stand after Guardiola. A statue of the Spaniard has also be commissioned which will be located next to the newly christened Pep Guardiola Stand.
As well as Guardiola heading for the exit, long-serving duo John Stones and Bernardo Silva also left the club, meaning it will be a season of change on and off the pitch at City.
Maresca is set to have the talents of England midfielder Elliot Anderson at his disposable once the 23-year-old returns from World Cup duty in North America.
City are reported to have agreed a £116 million deal with Nottingham Forest, eclipsing the previous club record transfer when they signed Jack Grealish from Aston Villa in 2021.
Anderson moved to Forest for £35m from Newcastle United in the summer of 2024 meaning the Midlands club have secured a mammoth profit just two seasons later.
City start their Premier League campaign at home to Bournemouth on August 23, having finished runners-up to champions Arsenal last season.
