Guardiola’s successor: Meet new Manchester City boss

by · The Eagle Online

Manchester City have reportedly reached a full agreement to appoint Enzo Maresca as the club’s next manager following Pep Guardiola’s expected departure at the end of the 2025-26 season.

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, City have agreed an initial three-year deal with the Italian coach ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.

Maresca is expected to replace Guardiola after the Spaniard’s final Premier League game against Aston Villa, ending one of the most successful managerial eras in modern football.

The 46-year-old Italian is no stranger to the Etihad Stadium.

He first joined Manchester City in 2020 as manager of the club’s Under-23 Elite Development Squad, leading the team to their first Premier League 2 title while helping develop talents including Cole Palmer and Roméo Lavia.

Maresca later returned as Guardiola’s first-team assistant during City’s historic Treble-winning campaign in 2022-23.

City’s hierarchy reportedly identified him as the ideal successor due to his deep understanding of Guardiola’s football philosophy and the club’s playing structure.

The Italian most recently managed Chelsea, where he guided the club to UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup success before leaving in January 2026 following reported disagreements with the board.

Before Chelsea, he led Leicester City back to the Premier League after winning the Championship title during the 2023-24 season.

Maresca’s managerial journey also included a difficult spell at Parma in 2021, where he struggled to implement his tactical system and was dismissed early.

Known for his possession-heavy approach, Maresca prefers structured systems such as 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 formations built around patient build-up play and positional control.

His tactical style closely mirrors Guardiola’s philosophy, particularly his use of inverted full-backs and strict positional discipline.

Before coaching, Maresca enjoyed a lengthy playing career across England, Italy and Spain.

The former midfielder played for clubs including West Bromwich Albion, Juventus and Sevilla, winning major honours including Serie A and two UEFA Cups.

Despite his growing reputation, Maresca arrives at Manchester City with enormous expectations as he prepares to replace the most successful manager in the club’s history.

During his decade at City, Guardiola transformed the club into one of the greatest football teams of the modern era.

The Spaniard won seven Premier League titles, including a record four consecutive league crowns — a feat never previously achieved in English football.

He also guided City to their first UEFA Champions League title in 2023 after defeating Inter Milan in the final.

That same season, Guardiola completed a historic continental Treble by winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.

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His trophy haul at Manchester City also includes four League Cups, two FA Cups, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.

Under Guardiola, City became the first Premier League side to reach 100 points in a single season during the famous 2017-18 “Centurions” campaign.

The club also recorded multiple scoring and winning records while maintaining one of the highest win percentages by any long-serving manager in football history.

Beyond trophies, Guardiola reshaped Manchester City’s football identity with a dominant style built on possession, relentless pressing and attacking control.

Maresca now steps into one of football’s biggest managerial jobs, with the Italian expected to continue the standards, dominance and philosophy established by the most successful manager Manchester City have ever had.

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