By Kwame Bediako
Enzo Maresca is set to succeed Pep Guardiola as Manchester City manager ahead of the 2026–27 season, with the club preparing for Guardiola’s departure after their final match of the campaign against Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium.
BBC Sport reports that talks with Maresca are advanced and he is expected to be formally confirmed as City’s new head coach in the coming weeks.
Why Maresca is the chosen successor
Maresca, 46, is already familiar with City’s structure, having previously worked under Guardiola as an assistant during the treble‑winning 2022–23 season and before that in the club’s academy.
He later managed Leicester City, securing promotion to the Premier League in his only season, before taking charge at Chelsea, where he won the Club World Cup and the UEFA Conference League while guiding a young squad into Champions League qualification.
Guardiola’s legacy and Maresca’s fit
Guardiola is widely regarded as one of the greatest managers of all time, having transformed City into a dominant force in England and Europe; he has publicly praised Maresca as “one of the best managers in the world” and highlighted how underrated his work at Chelsea has been.
By appointing Maresca, City are opting for continuity of philosophy, possession‑based, structured, academy‑friendly football, while bringing in a younger, up‑and‑coming tactician to lead the club’s next era.
