Revealed: Sacked Enzo Maresca remarkably told Chelsea he was talking to Man City on TWO separate occasions as extraordinary details emerge about Pep Guardiola succession plans

Maresca has taken in two spells with City as a coach. He worked with the club’s U21 team in the 2020-21 campaign, before returning to familiar surroundings as an assistant to Guardiola following a brief stint in charge of Parma in his homeland.

A retracing of steps to the blue half of Manchester has been speculated on. The Athletic has reported on how City are in the process of drawing up contingency plans for the summer of 2026, in case Guardiola decides to walk away from the final year of his contract.

Sources claim that there is a “growing anticipation of this being Guardiola’s last season at City”, with “a firm decision likely to be made closer to the campaign finishing”. If the ex-Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss were to depart, then a suitable successor will need to be found.

Maresca is said to have retained “admirers in the hierarchy” at the Etihad and “is expected to figure prominently if a vacancy arises”. He will not be the only candidate under consideration, with former City captain Vincent Kompany - who is now working with England captain Harry Kane at Bayern - also being billed as a Blues boss of the future.

City acknowledge that Guardiola tends to leave things “relatively late before determining his future”, meaning that all bases need to be covered. The Athletic reports that the Financial Fair Play (FFP) case which continues to cast a cloud over the Etihad, with no verdict being delivered as yet in a saga which involves at least 115 charges, does not have “any bearing on Guardiola’s situation”.

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Maresca has been aware of the uncertainty in Manchester for some time. According to The Athletic, he spoke with City officials on a couple of occasions during the first half of the 2025-26 campaign.

They report that: “Sources briefed on the matter not authorised to speak publicly indicate Maresca informed Chelsea — twice in late October and again in mid-December — that he was talking to people associated to City about his candidacy for the managerial position if and when a future vacancy arises.” Maresca was “contractually obliged” to inform Chelsea of any discussions that he held with other clubs.

The 45-year-old will have done his cause in west London few favours by admitting to talking with domestic rivals. He further soured his image in the eyes of Blues bosses when speaking publicly in mid-December about the supposed lack of “support” that he was receiving at Chelsea.

Maresca did guide Chelsea to the Carabao Cup semi-finals on the back of those comments, but saw his reign brought to a close at the start of 2026 following a run of three Premier League games without a win. His final match at the helm was a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth that saw the home side booed off at the Bridge.

It remains to be seen where his next role will come, and who Chelsea will turn to as his replacement, but Guardiola would appear to be in favour of passing his baton on to a familiar face.

City’s current boss has previously said of a man that he holds in the highest regard: “One of the best managers in the world, Enzo Maresca, I know him quite well but, the job he has done at Chelsea does not get enough credit. Winning the Club World Cup, Conference League, qualification for the Champions League in a league that is so tough with a young team. It is exceptional.”

Winning two trophies and guiding Chelsea back into elite European competition was not enough for Maresca to keep his job, with the Blues now preparing to move in a different direction.