Manchester City are on the verge of appointing Enzo Maresca as manager on a three-year deal, with the club having reached an agreement on compensation with Chelsea that is understood to be well in excess of £10m. The move comes one month after Pep Guardiola announced he would leave City after a decade in charge, and sources have told BBC Sport a deal for the 46-year-old Italian is close to being finalised.
Maresca, who left Chelsea in January despite being contracted to the club until 2029, was quickly identified by City as the only candidate to take on the unenviable task of replacing Guardiola. City declined to comment when contacted by BBC Sport, but talks between the two Premier League clubs continue. Freddie Pye of City Xtra told BBC Sport: "Given the absence of any pre-season training until next month, perhaps Maresca and City have not lost out on anything via a delayed announcement, with the Italian likely to be in close contact over planning for the new season."
“Manchester City close to appointing Enzo Maresca as Pep Guardiola's successor.”
Meanwhile, City have secured the future of one of their key players. Defender Josko Gvardiol has agreed a new contract until the summer of 2031, ending speculation about a move to Real Madrid or Bayern Munich. The 24-year-old, who won City's player of the season award in 2024-25, is currently preparing for the World Cup with Croatia and could face some of his City teammates in their opening game against England on Wednesday. His campaign last season was disrupted after he sustained a broken leg in January, limiting him to 25 appearances in all competitions. He returned to Premier League action in May, featuring in 58 minutes against Crystal Palace and the final 12 minutes against Aston Villa.
Transfer business has continued in the background despite the managerial uncertainty. City have already had two bids rejected for Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson and are expected to make another offer. Pye added: "City have a compelling and desirable sales pitch to offer players these days, irrespective of the head coach. This is a winning project for players, a clear opportunity to win immediate silverware." However, he noted that some players may view Guardiola's departure as the end of a career segment, giving them little reason to remain. With pre-season set to begin in mid-July for non-World Cup players, the new boss's late arrival has left those considering their futures in limbo, yet to meet Maresca for talks.