Manchester City have appointed Enzo Maresca as manager to replace departing coach Pep Guardiola next season, the Premier League club announced on Monday.
Maresca, who has signed a three-year contract, brings familiarity with City’s set-up, having previously coached the club’s youth team. He was also the senior side’s assistant coach under Guardiola during City’s 2018-19 treble-winning 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,” Maresca said in a statement.
“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.”
The 46-year-old Italian’s managerial journey began at Parma in 2021, where he lasted 14 games, winning only four times.
He was appointed Leicester City boss at the start of the 2023-24 Championship season and guided them back to the Premier League as champions.
His success in the East Midlands earned him a move to Chelsea, where he was charged with steering a young but expensively assembled squad back to the Champions League.
Maresca delivered a fourth-place finish while also winning the Conference League and the Club World Cup, though his relations with the London club’s owners soured and he left midway through his second season at Stamford Bridge.
He now faces the daunting task of replacing 55-year-old Guardiola, whose decade-long spell transformed City into English football’s dominant force.
Guardiola, who announced his departure in May, led City to a dazzling array of silverware, including six Premier League titles and one Champions League crown.
The Spaniard won the League Cup and FA Cup in his final season to cap a remarkable tenure at the club.
