Manchester City still have not officially appointed Enzo Maresca. The move is being delayed by compensation talks with Chelsea, even though he is widely viewed as Pep Guardiola's successor and has already begun work behind the scenes.
Chelsea are holding firm on compensation
City and Chelsea had reportedly reached a deal worth around €20m to release Maresca from his contract, but that figure has not turned the process into a clean handover. TEAMtalk sources say City expected something far more straightforward, while also saying progress is being made and that City are not getting any kind of cut-price exit.
That fits the wider picture around Maresca's Chelsea spell. His deal could have run to 2030, and he left in January after a public falling out over the turn of the year. Chelsea were never likely to make that exit easy, and they have not budged into the sort of compromise City would have preferred.
Why City still want him
The reason City have kept going is not hard to see. TEAMtalk sources say Viana made Maresca his number one managerial target as far back as January, and his time as Guardiola's assistant manager at Manchester City in the 2022-23 season makes him a natural fit for the job.
The club are also coming from a very strong platform. City finished 2nd in the Premier League on 78 points and won 23 league matches, so the handover is not about rebuilding from scratch. It is about maintaining a level that has already kept them near the top.
For now, the appointment is still waiting on the compensation detail. City want Maresca in place, Chelsea want proper payment, and the announcement remains pending.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →