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Enzo Maresca has agreed to succeed Pep Guardiola as Manchester City's manager this summer, yet his transition to the Etihad Stadium continues to face delays.
Maresca, who once served as Guardiola's assistant at City, was identified as the club's top managerial candidate last season, and a formal agreement to appoint the Italian was reached in May. However, more than a month has passed without the deal being finalized.
Given that Maresca parted ways with Chelsea back in January, his appointment might appear straightforward on the surface. In practice, it is far from it.
The Controversial Circumstances of Maresca's Chelsea Departure
On January 1, 2026, Chelsea officially confirmed that Maresca had stepped down from his managerial role following a turbulent stretch of weeks.
While performances on the field had been underwhelming, the real controversy played out behind closed doors before spilling into public view, when Maresca commandeered his own press conference to allege that a lack of support from "people in general" had led to the "worst 48 hours" of his tenure at Chelsea.
Maresca had clashed with Chelsea's polarizing ownership group over several matters, ranging from transfer decisions to squad selection, and it soon became evident that the two sides were unable to continue their working relationship.
Yet that is only part of the story.
In December, it first came to light that City were eyeing Maresca — still employed by Chelsea at the time — as Guardiola's potential replacement. The Italian held discussions with City while still under contract at Stamford Bridge and, in accordance with the terms of his Chelsea agreement, was obligated to disclose those conversations to the club's ownership.
It was around this period that Maresca's public outburst against Chelsea dominated the headlines, and the situation rapidly became unsustainable, leading to his departure from the club roughly two weeks later.
Multiple reports have indicated that Chelsea view Maresca's exit as the pivotal moment in a season that quickly unraveled. Not only did his departure damage their on-pitch performances, but it also necessitated compensation payments related to the hiring — and subsequent dismissal — of Liam Rosenior as his short-term replacement.
How Chelsea Are Complicating Man City's Maresca Deal
Maresca is no longer on Chelsea's payroll, meaning the Blues have no grounds to interfere with his current negotiations with City. However, it is his initial contact with the Manchester club that has angered Chelsea officials.
Chelsea did not authorize City to hold talks with Maresca while he was still a contracted employee, and The Guardian reports that Chelsea believe they possess enough evidence to file a complaint with the Premier League over an illegal approach.
Separately, Chelsea are also said to be weighing a personal claim against Maresca for breach of contract.
SI answers is our AI answer engine trained on human-created content.
City, fully aware of the potential consequences stemming from their contact with Maresca, have been in settlement discussions with Chelsea in an effort to resolve the matter swiftly. According to reports, an agreement valued at over $13 million (£10 million) is nearing completion between the two clubs.
Should Chelsea and City reach an agreement, the Blues are expected to withdraw their threats of legal action against both City and Maresca, clearing the path for the appointment to be formally announced.