Enzo Maresca has been confirmed as the new manager of Manchester City, succeeding Pep Guardiola on a three-year deal – but the appointment arrives alongside an apology to Chelsea and an agreement to pay compensation. The move comes just under seven months after the Italian left Stamford Bridge in acrimonious circumstances on January 1, and Chelsea marked the announcement with a blistering statement criticising his sudden departure.
Here is the full story: the compensation involved, Chelsea’s explosive response, Maresca’s public apology, how the relationship at Stamford Bridge broke down, and when the two clubs meet next season.
Maresca confirmed as Guardiola’s successor
Manchester City have appointed Maresca as Pep Guardiola’s replacement on a three-year contract. It is understood City will pay Chelsea around £17m in compensation after Maresca walked away from Stamford Bridge with three and a half years still left on his deal.
Reports indicate that when Chelsea became aware of City’s interest, they reluctantly granted Maresca permission to speak to the club – but only on the understanding that any move would happen this summer, and only if Guardiola decided to leave the Etihad.
Chelsea’s explosive statement
Released at the same moment City confirmed the appointment, Chelsea’s statement laid bare the details of Maresca’s exit and how City’s interest had unsettled him. The club said it had been informed in the autumn that there might be an opportunity for Maresca to succeed Guardiola at the end of the season.
Chelsea added that it became clear Maresca strongly wished to pursue the role despite being tied to a long-term contract he had no right to terminate. The club described his December 2025 resignation as unexpected and abrupt, saying it felt let down because his head and heart appeared to be set on another club and another opportunity, barely a year after his arrival.
The statement went further, framing the upheaval as central to a wretched campaign: Chelsea acknowledged the 2025/26 season was hugely disappointing for the club and its supporters, and said a major contributing factor was the disruption caused by being forced to change head coach over the Christmas period.
Maresca’s apology
After his departure, Chelsea turned to Liam Rosenior, who was dismissed after just 106 days as the Blues slumped to a 10th-place finish and missed out on European football entirely.
Posting on his personal Instagram account, Maresca apologised to Chelsea. He said the decision to leave had been his alone, and that his resignation opened the path to join Manchester City – a club he knew very well – adding that he was thrilled to have completed the move. He acknowledged that leaving in the middle of the season caused disruption for Chelsea and apologised for it, insisting it had been neither his intention nor his wish.
How the relationship at Chelsea fractured
Chelsea were told last autumn that Maresca had been approached about eventually replacing Guardiola, having worked under him as assistant coach during the 2022/23 season. With his head and heart at City, the club ultimately had little option but to accept his resignation at the end of the year. Despite numerous stories suggesting he was simply unhappy at Stamford Bridge, the underlying truth was that he wanted to go to City.
Maresca was little more than a year into his reign, having been appointed in June 2024. At the end of October, Chelsea sat ninth, just two points outside the top five. From there the relationship deteriorated, with poor form, public outbursts in the media and disagreements with the medical staff all straining the environment.
After a 2-0 home win over Everton in mid-December, Maresca stunned reporters by describing it as his “worst 48 hours” at the club and claiming that many people had not supported the team. He then repeatedly declined to expand on the remarks.
A sudden New Year’s Day departure
Maresca’s exit was confirmed on New Year’s Day, with the Italian reportedly feeling his position had become untenable. Chelsea had won just one of their final seven Premier League games before he left, sitting 15 points adrift of eventual champions Arsenal at the time.
His final game in charge was a 2-2 home draw with Bournemouth, during which the crowd booed and chanted that he did not know what he was doing after he substituted Cole Palmer. Chelsea said no club wants to change its head coach mid-season, but explained that, given his decision not to see out his responsibilities, it was left with no choice but to protect its players, supporters and the badge by accepting his resignation.
The compensation Man City and Maresca will pay
Once Guardiola’s departure from the Etihad was confirmed, Maresca was the only name seriously linked with the job. Having served as Guardiola’s assistant during the treble-winning 2023 campaign, his return felt inevitable – though the appointment came more than a month after Guardiola left.
Lawyers for both clubs were locked in negotiations, with Chelsea maintaining that Maresca’s exit was a decisive factor in their underwhelming season – a campaign that ended in 10th place, with the club staying in the top half only on goal difference. Chelsea confirmed that two confidential settlements had been reached: one with Manchester City, including a compensation payment, and a separate agreement under which Maresca himself will also pay compensation.
When do Man City and Chelsea play in 2026/27?
| Date | Fixture |
| Saturday 12 December 2026 | Man City vs Chelsea (Etihad Stadium) |
| Saturday 24 April 2027 | Chelsea vs Man City (Stamford Bridge) |
Maresca’s first competitive reunion with his former club comes in December, before the return fixture at Stamford Bridge in April – two dates that are already circled in the calendar.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the new Manchester City manager?
Enzo Maresca has been appointed Manchester City manager on a three-year deal, succeeding Pep Guardiola. He previously worked as Guardiola’s assistant during City’s treble-winning 2022/23 season.
How much compensation will Man City pay Chelsea for Maresca?
Manchester City are understood to be paying Chelsea around £17m in compensation. In addition, Maresca himself has agreed to pay a separate, confidential compensation settlement.
Why did Enzo Maresca leave Chelsea?
Maresca resigned on January 1 to pursue the chance of succeeding Guardiola at Manchester City. Chelsea said his head and heart were set on City, and the move followed a period of poor form and a fractured relationship at Stamford Bridge.
What did Maresca apologise for?
Maresca apologised for the disruption his mid-season departure caused Chelsea, saying the decision was his alone and that leaving in the middle of the campaign was neither his intention nor his wish.
