Enzo Maresca has been officially unveiled as Manchester City's new manager, stepping into the role vacated by Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium.
The Italian takes charge on a three-year contract, nearly seven months after his acrimonious departure from Chelsea on New Year's Day while he has since apologised to his old club's fans.
City will pay the Blues £17 million in compensation following Maresca's exit from Stamford Bridge, where he still had more than three years remaining on his deal.
The 46-year-old previously served as Guardiola's assistant during City's treble-winning 2022-23 campaign, making his return to the club a long-anticipated move.
Enzo Maresca has signed as the new Manchester City manager
|REUTERS
His appointment comes over a month after Guardiola's departure, with club lawyers engaged in protracted negotiations between the two Premier League sides.
In a statement posted on social media following the announcement, Maresca expressed regret for the upheaval his departure caused at Stamford Bridge.
"At the end of December 2025, I made the difficult decision to leave Chelsea," he said. "The decision was only mine. My resignation from Chelsea opened a path for me to join Manchester City, which is a club I knew very well. I am ecstatic that I have now joined Manchester City."
The former Leicester City boss acknowledged the impact of his mid-season exit, stating: "I recognise that my departure from Chelsea in the middle of the season caused disruption for the club and I apologise for that. It was neither my intention nor my wish."
He added that he was "treated well by everyone at Chelsea" and remained "grateful to the club, the owners and the fans for giving me the opportunity."
Enzo Maresca has been formally hired as the new Manchester City manager | MANCITYChelsea responded to Maresca's appointment with a pointed statement of their own, shedding light on the circumstances surrounding his sudden resignation.
The club revealed that their former head coach had approached them in autumn 2025 about a potential opportunity to succeed Guardiola at the end of the season.
"It became clear to us that it was his strong desire to succeed Guardiola and that he was fully committed to pursuing the opportunity, despite the fact he was under a long-term contract which he had no right to terminate," the statement read.
Chelsea expressed feeling "let down" by Maresca's divided focus, noting that "his head and heart were focused on another club and another opportunity, despite having just arrived at Chelsea the year before."
The Blues acknowledged that no club wishes to replace their head coach mid-campaign but insisted they had no alternative.
The statement confirmed that two confidential settlements had been reached, with both City and Maresca himself required to pay compensation to Chelsea.
Chelsea's record in the Premier League | GETTY/GB NEWSThe Italian's final weeks at Stamford Bridge were marked by deteriorating relations and poor results, with Chelsea securing just one victory in their last seven league matches before his exit.
Following a home win against Everton in mid-December, Maresca told reporters he had experienced his "worst 48 hours" at the club, claiming "many people didn't support us."
His last match in charge was a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth, during which supporters booed and chanted "you don't know what you're doing" when he substituted Cole Palmer.
Chelsea ultimately finished the 2025-26 season in tenth place, missing out on European qualification entirely.
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