Manchester City have officially entered a new era after confirming Enzo Maresca as Pep Guardiola's replacement. The Italian has signed a four-year deal at the Etihad, but what should have been a routine managerial announcement quickly turned into one of the summer's biggest talking points after Chelsea released an extraordinary statement criticizing their former boss.
Chelsea Go Public After Maresca Exit
Rather than offering a traditional farewell, Chelsea openly questioned Maresca's commitment to the club.
The London side claim the Italian had been pursuing the Manchester City job for months while still under contract at Stamford Bridge. According to the club, discussions about Guardiola's eventual successor had already influenced Maresca's thinking during the first half of the season.
Chelsea also revealed that his resignation at the end of December did not come as a complete surprise, arguing that his focus had shifted away from the project long before he officially stepped down.
One of Football's Most Expensive Coaching Deals
City's determination to bring Maresca back to the Etihad came at a significant cost.
British media report that the Premier League champions paid roughly £17 million to secure the deal, a package that included compensation owed to Chelsea as well as financial terms linked to the coach's early departure.
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The fee ranks among the largest ever paid to appoint a manager.
Maresca Responds to the Backlash
The newly appointed City boss later addressed the controversy himself, insisting the decision to leave Chelsea was entirely his own.
He thanked everyone at Stamford Bridge for the opportunity he was given and apologized to supporters disappointed by the timing of his departure. At the same time, Maresca admitted that returning to Manchester City—where he previously worked alongside Pep Guardiola—was an opportunity he simply could not ignore.
His arrival officially begins City's post-Guardiola era, while Chelsea now face another managerial reset after one of the most controversial coaching departures in recent Premier League history.