By Michael Harrison
Manchester City VS Galatasaray 28/01/2026
Enzo Maresca is set to replace Pep Guardiola as manager of Manchester City until 2029, on a three-year contract, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano,
After City’s 2-1 loss to Aston Villa in the final game week, the maestro Manchester City manager is set to leave the Citizens this summer following ten barnstorming years as manager.
Sports Central Audience writer for the Manchester Evening News Jack Flintham gave him a passionate send off, saying, “Twenty trophies in ten years is an absolutely remarkable achievement for any manager, and he departs Manchester almost as the king of the city”
Following his latest and final trophy for City, his third FA Cup in a decade, he departs the club with twenty trophies in ten years. So influential has his impact been that City owner Sheik Mansour is to rename the club’s North Stand the Pep Guardiola Stand.
Flintham continued: “It was the worst kept secret that Guardiola was departing, after 10 incredible years at City and mirroring Klopp in that devastating 2018-19 season, now it’s time for him to rest.
“A remarkable achievement from a remarkable manager, it will be so interesting how the club will do in the foreseeable future.”
Maresca set to step in
The heir to the City manager role is set to be Enzo Maresca, former assistant coach of Guardiola during the 2022-23 season, where he was assistant to treble winning ‘king’ Guardiola. An “ideal” replacement, in the eyes of Flintham and many online, but the question mark will be how he can match, or even live up to, the intense expectations laid upon him by his former mentor.
This move comes after an unsuccessful 18-month spell as Chelsea first team manager, which ended in January. After clashing with the ownership, leaving Chelsea in fifth place and 15 points behind league leaders Arsenal, Maresca departed the club after a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge.
Phil Foden playing against Borussia Dortmund in the champions league 05/11/2025
There is no doubt he has the experience at the club from prior seasons there, and a similar style of play to Pep. It was clear to see, during his Chelsea tenure, that he places great responsibility on his full backs, with either Marc Cucurella or Reece James coming into midfield to swarm around the opposition. This is similar to the way Guardiola has used rising stars Nico O’Riley and Matheus Nunes this season.
The upcoming summer transfer window will be an interesting one for City. Stars such as John Stones and Bernardo Silva are also leaving the club. Flintham thinks Rodri could potentially be another sale. City’s transfer strategy will need to be a very good one to replace such exceptional players.
Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliott Anderson is high on City’s radar. Enzo Fernandes of Chelsea could be another transfer target. It will be so interesting to see which direction City choose to go in what exactly Maresca’s new and exciting ideas might be.
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