Pep Guardiola has informed his Manchester City players that he will leave the club after Sunday’s final Premier League match against Aston Villa. The manager felt obliged to update his squad after news of his departure broke on Monday night, catching him off guard while preparing for Tuesday’s game at Bournemouth.
Guardiola had hoped to keep his decision private to avoid distractions as City need to beat Bournemouth to keep the title race alive, with Arsenal five points clear after defeating Burnley. He departs after 10 years with a season remaining on his contract. City have identified Enzo Maresca as his replacement.
Maresca, who worked as Guardiola’s assistant at City in the 2022-23 season, left Chelsea acrimoniously on New Year’s Day. Chelsea hold his compensation rights after he resigned without claiming severance, with three and a half years left on his deal. City have agreed a three-year contract in principle with Maresca, pending resolution of his contractual obligations to Chelsea.
The Italian’s exit followed tensions with Chelsea’s hierarchy over a new contract and a failure to sign a centre-back after Levi Colwill's injury. The situation deteriorated after a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth on 30 December, when Maresca refused to face the media and indicated he would quit. He had earlier held talks with City representatives about replacing Guardiola.
Maresca intends to add Willy Caballero to his City backroom staff. The Argentine, his assistant at Leicester and Chelsea, previously played for City for three years until 2017. Chelsea view Maresca’s resignation as a factor in their disappointing second half of the season, which saw them miss out on the Champions League and lose the FA Cup final.
