Man City hire Maresca to start new era after Guardiola

Manchester City on Monday hired former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca to lead the club into a new era after Pep Guardiola stepped down at the end of last season.

Maresca agreed a three-year contract with City after being forced to wait several weeks to seal his move to the Etihad Stadium.

“Manchester City is a club I know very well and to have the chance to manage this team is a brilliant opportunity for me,” said Maresca, who previously coached Leicester in the Championship and Chelsea in the Premier League.

“City is an incredibly well-run football club. Everything they do is innovative, planned and purposeful. For a manager, that is a dream situation. It provides the consistency I need to do my job effectively.”

The 46-year-old Maresca had been strongly linked with the City job once reports emerged of Guardiola’s potential exit.

But Maresca’s arrival in Manchester was held up by Chelsea’s demand for a reported £17 million ($22 million) compensation package for the Italian, who was still contracted to the Blues until 2029 when he departed in January.