Italian coach Enzo Maresca has officially begun his tenure as Manchester City head coach, sketching out the new project he hopes will extend the success the club has enjoyed in recent years.
Speaking at his first press conference since taking charge, Maresca addressed his footballing philosophy, the challenge of following Pep Guardiola, and the future of several of the team's stars. He also set out his transfer plans and his approach to pre-season.
City turned to the Italian after he steered Leicester City to the Championship title in 2023-2024, then lifted the UEFA Conference League and the FIFA Club World Cup with Chelsea across 2024 and 2025.
It marks Maresca's third spell inside the club. He previously coached the elite team and worked as an assistant to Guardiola on the technical staff during the 2022-2023 season.
A return "home"
Maresca opened with a human touch, offering his condolences to the family of Kevin Keegan before turning to his own feelings about coming back to City. He said: "Before we begin, I would like to send a message and a warm embrace to Kevin Keegan's family at this moment. I feel as though I have returned home, and my feeling has been wonderful from day one. I am very happy to be here."
His familiarity with the club, he explained, was among the biggest reasons he said yes. He said: "I know the institution well, and I have known the people inside the club for years. The club's stability, and the fact that only three coaches have succeeded one another over almost twenty years, reflects the strength of the administrative structure and its belief in giving projects time. From the moment Manchester City contacted me, I had no doubt about accepting this challenge."
On the summer window, Maresca confirmed the recruitment work is far from finished. He said: "I think there is always something that can be done, because we are aiming to achieve certain objectives, but it also depends on the dynamics of the transfer market. There may be some things that need to be completed, and we are already working on them."
Succeeding Guardiola: a privilege and a huge challenge
Following Guardiola ranks among the toughest jobs in football, Maresca admitted, yet he views it as an honour. He said: "First of all, it is a great privilege that this club has chosen me. I have said more than once that Pep is perhaps the best coach in the world over the past twenty or twenty-five years. At the same time, it represents a wonderful challenge."
He added: "If we look at the history of coaches who stayed for many years at their clubs, such as Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsène Wenger, we will find that they faced great challenges. My goal now is to do the right things from the very beginning for the sake of the club and the fans."
City's boardroom stability, he said, gives him real confidence in the project. He said: "The institution is the most important factor. This club has had only three coaches succeed one another over around 17 years, and that is extremely rare. That gives me confidence in our ability to continue the journey that began with Roberto Mancini, then Manuel Pellegrini, and finally Pep Guardiola."
His stance on Rodri and his comment on Chelsea's statement
Rodri's future has been the subject of exit talk, but Maresca insisted the speculation does not trouble him. He said: "Big players are always surrounded by rumours, and this is natural, especially after he won the World Cup and delivered wonderful performances. Any coach in the world would want to sign Rodri, but he will undergo surgery on Monday, and he needs rest and recovery, after which he will return to us."
He refused to be drawn into any row over the statement Chelsea issued after his departure. He said: "I feel fortunate that I worked at Leicester and Chelsea, and we achieved successes and a clear identity at both clubs, and I am grateful for those two experiences. But my focus now is entirely on Manchester City, and there is nothing I have to add."
As for when his full squad reports back, the head coach was clear. He said: "The last group of players will join three or four days before the Community Shield match, and after that the entire team will be present."
He added: "Until that time, I am working with a large number of young players, and they have great energy, and some of them are delivering very impressive levels, and I am happy with what I am seeing."
The fate of Jack Grealish and James Trafford
Grealish remains part of his plans for now, Maresca confirmed. He said: "Jack is here, and he is a Manchester City player. My position is always clear: as long as the player belongs to the club, it is my duty to work with him. I have a good relationship with him, because he has a big heart and a wonderful personality, and we will see what happens later."
Goalkeeper James Trafford, who Maresca worked with in the youth ranks, drew a similar response. He said: "I know James well, as he was my goalkeeper when I was coaching the under-23 team. But the transfer window is open, anything is possible, and we will see what happens, but at present he is one of our goalkeepers."
Constant change in the game, he believes, forces coaches to keep finding fresh answers. He said: "Everything changes over time, and you have to adapt to that. There is development in playing styles, such as set pieces and man-to-man defending, and it is our duty as coaches to find the appropriate solutions."
Will long balls become City's weapon?
His coaching identity, the Italian confirmed, will not stray far from what he showed at his previous clubs. He said: "I had a clear identity at Leicester and Chelsea, and perhaps that was one of the reasons Manchester City signed me, because some of the ideas are similar to what the previous coach used to deliver."
He added: "We always try to press hard when we lose the ball, to control the match, and to impose our style, while striving to achieve the most important thing in football, which is winning matches."
Could the long ball become a weapon, given Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal and Erling Haaland up front? Maresca did not rule it out. He said: "That could be one of the solutions. Sometimes you need to play short, and other times you need long balls, depending on what the opponent imposes. Having a goalkeeper like Donnarumma and a striker like Haaland gives us a great advantage, but this will not be the only solution, as we must find varied solutions that suit different matches."