Manchester City are moving quickly ahead of the transfer window with Enzo Maresca set to replace Pep Guardiola in place of the legendary Catalan.
Enzo Maresca was previously linked with a move to Manchester City and could be available after leaving Chelsea (Image: Getty Images)
Enzo Maresca has signed a three-year contract to replace Josep Guardiola at Manchester City, according to reports.
City bosses were awaiting a decision from the Catalan, who had 12 months left on his contract but there was continued speculation that he could leave the Etihad this summer. That was acknowledged by the club last week and they have been quick to look for a replacement.
Maresca was Guardiola’s assistant in Manchester before moving to Leicester City. His form with the Foxes saw him land the top job at Chelsea, where he won the Europa Conference League and Club World Cup.
He was sacked by the Blues earlier this year and eventually admitted he had held talks with City about replacing Guardiola. That is becoming a reality with Maresca signing a deal to take charge for the foreseeable future.
Outgoing manager Guardiola has promised to call whoever will replace him at the Etihad and urged them to back his idea as City are ready to take over as their next manager.
read more: Josep Guardiola talks about the first thing he will do if he becomes Manchester City’s next managerread more: Pep Guardiola cited Bruno Fernandes as an example of what is unacceptable at Man City
“If the club tells me who I am, of course I will call him. I will say: “Be yourself and the club will support you unconditionally.” That is the biggest compliment and the greatest luck that all the managers here have had. The bad moments will be protected better than at any other club. Be yourself, be free, follow your ideas. Work hard and everything will work out.”
Maresca will be fully involved in the club’s transfer strategy, with City planning to target specific areas of the squad. Elliott Anderson is understood to be a key target as Manchester’s blue half continue to rebuild their squad.
Josep Guardiola has offered his full support to the next Man City manager (Image: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
In the last 18 months of Guardiola’s reign, he made a number of signings that are likely to be important in the coming years. Marc Guech and Antoine Semenyo were signed in January, but before that, Rayan Cherki and Abdukkodir Kusanov were among the other signings.
Guardiola steps down after a brilliant decade in which he won 20 trophies, including six Premier League titles and the Champions League, which was part of the treble in 2023. In their final season, they won two domestic cups, but had to settle for second place in the league.
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