Man City close to Enzo Maresca appointment after talks with Chelsea

Manchester City are close to finally appointing Enzo Maresca as Pep Guardiola’s successor.

City and the Italian have been in talks with Chelsea about a compensation package after Maresca left Stamford Bridge in January.

They are expected to reach an agreement that would allow the former Leicester manager to take over at the Etihad Stadium, with the sum likely to be in excess of £10m.

Chelsea took the view that Maresca breached his contract, which ran until 2029, when he left.

Maresca had told them in autumn that he had held talks about going to City if Guardiola were to leave. Chelsea’s season went into freefall after Maresca’s departure as they only came 10th, with the club’s hierarchy thought to blame their former manager, though results deteriorated under his replacement Liam Rosenior.

Guardiola announced his resignation in May after a decade in Manchester, winning the FA and Carabao Cups in his final campaign. Maresca had two spells on his coaching staff, including as his assistant in 2022/23, when City won a treble including the Champions League.

He then won the Championship with Leicester and the Conference League and the Club World Cup with Chelsea.

City, meanwhile, have tried to start their rebuilding job as they adjust to life after Guardiola. They made a £106m bid for Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson and are interested in Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali, while they have also given a new contract to defender Josko Gvardiol.