Enzo Maresca is Manchester City's top target to replace Pep Guardiola — and according to Fabrizio Romano, that is not just idle speculation. The Italian is "the manager that Manchester City internally believe is the ideal candidate" to take over whenever Guardiola eventually moves on.
It is a remarkable twist in a story that has had several dramatic chapters already. Maresca left Chelsea on January 1, 2026, after just 18 months in charge — despite winning the Conference League and the Club World Cup in his time at Stamford Bridge. He was, by any measure, the most successful Chelsea manager since Thomas Tuchel. And yet the relationship with the ownership group broke down, and he was gone.
The City connection
What makes this story so intriguing is that Maresca was apparently talking to City on two separate occasions while still Chelsea manager — a detail that has only recently emerged and which goes some way to explaining why the relationship at Stamford Bridge soured. He did not hide his admiration for the club he had served as Guardiola's assistant, and it seems City never stopped thinking about him either.
Maresca spent time on Guardiola's coaching staff and his entire footballing philosophy is shaped by the Spaniard's approach. Positional play, high press, controlled possession. If City wanted continuity in style after Guardiola, Maresca is the closest thing available on the market.
When does this actually happen?
This is the crucial question, and the honest answer is: nobody knows. Guardiola is contracted until the end of the 2026-27 season, and City have been emphatic that they are happy with him. He has given no indication he wants to leave before that deal expires. So we could be talking about next summer, or the summer after that.
What is clear is that City are planning ahead. Clubs at this level do not wait for a vacancy to open before they start identifying candidates. They are thinking two steps ahead, and Maresca is the name at the top of their shortlist.
What about Maresca?
Since leaving Chelsea, the Italian has been linked with Roma — where he would work alongside former Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri — but nothing has been confirmed. His camp are aware of City's interest, and the appeal of going back to the club where he worked under Guardiola and inheriting one of the best squads in the world is obvious.
The most successful period of his coaching career to date came at Leicester, where he won the Championship with a style of play that turned heads across Europe. The Chelsea stint showed he can operate at the very top. City think he is ready.
Guardiola's time in Manchester will end eventually — all great reigns do. When it does, Enzo Maresca looks like the man they want to carry it forward.
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