By Francis Onyach - Reporter
United Kingdom, May 19, 2026 - Manchester City F.C. is preparing for one of the biggest transitions in the club’s modern history. Enzo Maresca has reached an agreement to become the club’s next manager once Pep Guardiola steps down.
The reports emerged shortly after Manchester City’s FA Cup triumph over Chelsea at Wembley, with widespread speculation suggesting Guardiola is preparing to end his legendary decade-long spell at the Etihad Stadium this summer.
Manchester City has confirmed Guardiola’s departure. The Spaniard is expected to leave despite still having a contract running until 2027. Attention has now rapidly shifted toward his successor.
According to multiple reports across England and Europe, former Chelsea and Leicester City manager Enzo Maresca has already agreed in principle to take over at Manchester City, with negotiations between both parties now considered complete.
The Italian coach is viewed internally as the ideal candidate to continue Guardiola’s football philosophy, largely because of his deep understanding of the club’s structure and tactical identity.
Maresca is no stranger to Manchester City.
Before managing Leicester City and Chelsea, he previously worked within City’s academy setup and later served as one of Guardiola’s assistant coaches during the club’s historic Treble-winning era. During his time leading Manchester City’s Elite Development Squad, he guided the youth side to the Premier League 2 title in 2021, earning strong praise internally for his tactical intelligence and player development work.
That connection has played a major role in City’s decision-making. The club’s hierarchy believes Maresca represents continuity rather than revolution, a coach capable of maintaining the positional football, structured buildup play, and tactical control that have defined Guardiola’s reign.
Maresca’s rise in management has accelerated quickly over the last three years.
After a difficult spell at Parma earlier in his managerial career, he rebuilt his reputation impressively with Leicester City, leading them back to the Premier League by winning the EFL Championship in 2024. He later joined Chelsea, where he won the UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup before leaving the club in January 2026 following tensions with the ownership.
City had already been in contact with Maresca even before his Chelsea departure, with the club quietly preparing succession plans in case Guardiola decided to leave. The possibility of Guardiola stepping down marks the end of one of the greatest managerial eras English football has ever seen.
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Since arriving at Manchester City in 2016, Guardiola has transformed the club into a global powerhouse, winning multiple Premier League titles, domestic cups, and the UEFA Champions League while redefining tactical standards across English football. According to current reports, City’s recent FA Cup victory over Chelsea was Guardiola’s 20th major trophy with the club.
Even this season, despite stronger competition and growing pressure from rivals, Guardiola managed to keep Manchester City competing at the highest level domestically while maintaining Champions League qualification.
Replacing a figure of that magnitude will inevitably bring enormous pressure.
However, City’s leadership believes Maresca’s familiarity with the environment gives him the best possible chance of succeeding in one of football’s most demanding jobs. His tactical style, often referred to in parts of the media as “Marescaball”, has been heavily influenced by Guardiola’s positional system, emphasizing structured possession, controlled buildup, and intelligent pressing.
There is also growing belief that Manchester City’s squad could adapt quickly to Maresca because many of the tactical principles would remain similar. Players such as Phil Foden, Rodri, Rico Lewis, and Oscar Bobb have all developed within systems closely connected to Guardiola’s football philosophy, which could ease the transition into the next managerial era.
Still, questions remain.
Guardiola’s eventual departure will not simply represent a coaching change. It will mark the conclusion of a defining chapter in Manchester City’s history, a period that elevated the club into one of the dominant forces in world football.
For Maresca, the challenge ahead could hardly be bigger.
He would be replacing a manager widely regarded as one of the greatest coaches the sport has ever seen. He would inherit a dressing room built around elite expectations and would be tasked with ensuring Manchester City remain at the top of English and European football after the Guardiola era finally comes to an end.