Man City to pay Chelsea £17.2m compensation to appoint Enzo Maresca as Guardiola's successor

Manchester City are set to appoint Enzo Maresca as their next manager after agreeing a reported €20m (£17.2m) compensation package with Chelsea, according to journalist Gianluca Di Marzio. The deal clears the final obstacle to Maresca taking over at the Etihad following Pep Guardiola’s exit after a trophy-laden 10-year reign.

Maresca has a well-established connection with City, having served as Guardiola’s assistant during the club’s 2022/23 treble-winning campaign. He then moved into management in his own right, guiding Leicester City to promotion from the Championship before departing for Chelsea, where he replaced Mauricio Pochettino ahead of last season.

His time at Stamford Bridge ended abruptly in January, just six months after he led Chelsea to Club World Cup glory — yet the brevity of his departure has not dampened enthusiasm for the appointment among those who know the club well.

Former City defender Nedum Onuoha told PA that Maresca could be an astute fit. “I think he very much could fit the bill. This is somebody that has managed in the top flight with Chelsea and somebody that was also at City as an assistant coach,” Onuoha said. “Listening to the way that the Chelsea players talk about Maresca, overall he could be a big positive.”

Onuoha was equally clear that the incoming manager should not be viewed through the lens of his predecessor. “Whoever they bring in, they’re coming in to not try to be Guardiola — they’re being brought in because of who they are,” he said. “There’s lots of good young players coming through who’ve shown that they can contest for a league title and can lift silverware at Wembley. I don’t know who they’ll bring in but I think whoever it is will be getting one of the best jobs in world football.”

The reported £17.2m settlement underlines how highly Chelsea valued Maresca despite his short tenure, and signals City’s determination to move quickly on a successor who already understands the club’s culture and playing philosophy.