Enzo Maresca Set to Replace Pep Guardiola at Manchester City — Man Coty

Enzo Maresca is set to replace Pep Guardiola as man coty manager before next season, with talks at an advanced stage. Pep Guardiola is expected to leave after Sunday’s final match against Aston Villa at Etihad Stadium.

Guardiola’s Etihad Exit

The switch would end Guardiola’s spell at the club after more than a decade in charge. Manchester City’s final match of the season is against Aston Villa at Etihad Stadium, and the change is lined up for the 2026-27 season.

Maresca wants the job. He is the leading contender to take over and has already been identified as Guardiola’s successor in due course.

Maresca’s City Return

The 46-year-old has a direct City link that goes beyond reputation. He worked in the academy and later served as Guardiola’s assistant during the Treble-winning 2022-23 campaign before leaving in 2023 to manage Leicester.

His own record since then gives City a clear reason to move quickly. He guided Leicester to promotion to the Premier League in his only season there, then spent less than six months at Chelsea after succeeding Mauricio Pochettino in June 2024.

Chelsea Record and Praise

At Chelsea, Maresca won the Club World Cup and the Conference League and secured Champions League qualification during his only full season at Stamford Bridge. Guardiola has already called him one of the best managers in the world and said his work at Chelsea does not get enough credit.

“One of the best managers in the world, Enzo Maresca, I know him quite well, but the job he has done at Chelsea does not get enough credit.”

“Winning the Club World Cup, Conference League, qualification for the Champions League in a league that is so tough with a young team. It is exceptional.”

For City, the move points to a manager who knows the club from the inside and arrives with recent top-flight experience across Leicester and Chelsea. The final step is the formal handover after Sunday’s game, and the successor line is already drawn.