Enzo Maresca has finally been appointed manager of Manchester City as the successor to Pep Guardiola.
The former Leicester and Chelsea boss returns to the club having spent a season as an assistant to Guardiola during the 2022/23 campaign, and having previously overseen Manchester City’s elite development squad.
Maresca now faces the tall task of taking over from a manager who won six Premier League titles across a trophy-laden decade in Manchester.
The Italian, 46, has been out of work since parting company with Chelsea on 1 January just months after leading the London club to twin successes in the Conference League and Club World Cup and the Blues subsequently released an explosive statement blaming him for their poor season.
Meanwhile, Maresca was pleased to finally get the appointment officially confirmed.
“Manchester City is a club I know very well and to have the chance to manage this team is a brilliant opportunity for me,” he said in a statement.
“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.
“This will be my third spell here. I know this club, I know the demands and I know the expectations. The quality of the people who work here is what makes it so special, and I want to thank them for showing faith in my ability.
“I cannot wait to start coaching the players. I want us to win, play good football and enjoy the pressure of representing Manchester City.”