Enzo Maresca reportedly signs three-year Manchester City deal as Guardiola’s replacement amid star players exit rumors

Despite having a historic legacy, Pep Guardiola has decided to leave Manchester City at the end of the season. Far from leaving for another team, the Spaniard has decided to remain at the club in a different executive role. Following this, the Citizens have moved quickly to find a new head coach. Enzo Maresca has reportedly secured a three-year contract amid rumors of several star players leaving the club in the summer of 2026.

According to Fabrizio Romano via X, formerly Twitter, the Citizens have secured the arrival of Enzo Maresca as their new head coach. With a contract until 2029, the Italian manager returns to Manchester City after his brilliant spell at Chelsea to lead a long-term project. In addition, he will reportedly have a very important role in the club’s transfer strategy, being a decisive factor in his arrival.

Enzo Maresca has already had two spells at Manchester City, with his first coming between 2020 and 2021 with the U-23 team, and the second as assistant to Pep Guardiola between 2022 and 2023. With this in mind, the Italian manager arrives already knowing the sporting structure, making him a continuation of the sporting project. In addition, he has already shown brilliant managerial talent, leading Chelsea to be 2025 FIFA Club World Cup winners.

Although the Citizens took a fairly safe step, replacing Pep Guardiola is not easy at all. Following this, Bernardo Silva and John Stones have left the team, while Rodri is reportedly pushing to leave for Real Madrid. Along with this, Joško Gvardiol is reportedly seeking a transfer to Bayern Munich. With this in mind, Enzo Maresca has the difficult task of convincing players to remain at the club, shaping a promising project after Guardiola’s expell.

Report: Manchester City eye Elliot Anderson as Maresca’s priority

Throughout the 2025–26 season, Bernardo Silva has remained a key pillar of Manchester City, providing structure and distributing the ball brilliantly. Despite having a renewal offer on the table, he has decided to leave as a free agent. With this in mind, Manchester City have already decided to pursue his replacement in midfield, identifying Elliot Anderson as a priority target for Enzo Maresca.

According to Alex Crook and Ben Jacobs via teamTALK, the Citizens are pushing for the signing of Elliot Anderson. Following Bernardo Silva’s departure, the English midfielder could become the new creative hub in midfield, offering a balance between defense and attack. However, Nottingham Forest are demanding a €140 million transfer fee, while Manchester City are offering €107 million, creating a significant gap in negotiations.

Alongside Elliot Anderson, Manchester City face the difficult task of convincing Rodri to stay at the club, and they are already working on his renewal. However, Nico González is reportedly considering a departure via transfer in the summer of 2026, as he has not enjoyed much playing time. Because of this, Enzo Maresca appears to have a serious problem in defining his midfield, making it the main issue to solve before the start of the 2026–27 season.