Manchester City has officially named Enzo Maresca as their new manager, amid reports from Chelsea indicating that the Italian coach will cover part of his compensation as part of a settlement facilitating his move to the Etihad Stadium.
Maresca’s appointment as Pep Guardiola’s successor was confirmed on Monday with a three-year contract.
Following the announcement, Chelsea released a detailed statement revealing they had received compensation from both Manchester City and Maresca himself.
In an Instagram post, Maresca expressed his regret to Chelsea for the “disruption” caused by his exit from Stamford Bridge in January, while expressing his excitement about joining City.
Sources connected to City have informed ESPN that their relationship with Chelsea is still strong. The delay in announcing Maresca’s appointment stemmed from a contractual dispute involving the 46-year-old and Chelsea.
Chelsea’s statement noted: “In the autumn of last year, the club was informed by our former head coach of a potential opportunity to succeed Pep Guardiola at the season’s end. It became evident that he had a strong desire to pursue this role, despite being under a long-term contract that he could not terminate unilaterally.
“In December 2025, our head coach unexpectedly resigned from his position. Given the circumstances and in light of the mutual respect between our clubs, a confidential settlement has been reached with Manchester City, which includes compensation payment. A separate confidential settlement has also been reached with the former head coach, under which he will compensate Chelsea.”
Maresca joined Chelsea in 2024 on a five-year deal and secured the Conference League and Club World Cup titles during his 18-month tenure.
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Maresca departed Stamford Bridge on January 1, 2026, being succeeded by Liam Rosenior. Following a challenging second half of the season, Rosenior was dismissed in April as Chelsea finished 10th in the Premier League, failing to qualify for European competitions.
This marks Maresca’s third stint at City, following previous roles as head coach of the Elite Development Squad and as Guardiola’s first-team assistant from 2022 to 2023.
“At the end of December 2025, I made the tough choice to leave Chelsea,” Maresca reflected in his Instagram post. “The decision was entirely mine. My resignation from Chelsea opened the door for me to join Manchester City, a club I know very well. I am thrilled to now be a part of Manchester City. I acknowledge that my mid-season departure from Chelsea caused inconvenience for the club, and I apologize for that; it was never my intention.”