Enzo Maresca has vowed not to leave Manchester City again after returning to the Etihad Stadium as manager and said his task is to make the next decade as successful as the last one.
The Italian, who had two spells on City’s coaching staff, has been appointed Pep Guardiola’s successor after a £17m compensation fee was agreed with his former club Chelsea, following Maresca’s departure part way through last season.
Maresca, who had conversations with City about replacing Guardiola when still Chelsea manager, has now signed a three-year deal at the Etihad.
He was City’s first choice when they started to sense Guardiola’s reign was coming to an end and was recommended by the Catalan, who appointed Maresca his assistant for the treble season of 2022-23.
Maresca then left to manage Leicester and Chelsea, winning the Championship, the Conference League and the Club World Cup before finalising a return to City.
And he said: “This is the third time – hopefully it’s the last time I come back and I don’t leave anymore. I’m very excited, very excited for many reasons. The first one is how big the club is, so this for sure has been one of the reasons why.”
In Guardiola’s 10 years in charge, City won the Champions League, six Premier Leagues, two trebles, three FA Cups and five League Cups.
And Maresca added: “It’s exciting because the target is to continue or carry on the last decade or the last years that everything was very nice. It’s a huge challenge, for many reasons. All the success over the last 10 to 15 years, but at the same moment it’s a nice challenge.”
The Italian suggested he is a continuity candidate who can play the same brand of football as Guardiola.
He added: “Probably the reason why I’m here is also because the idea from the club is to maintain the same style of football, the same idea and we’re going to try to do the most important thing in football which is try to win, to achieve important things. Then the day-by-day is also going to dictate the way I will work.”
Maresca is anticipating a smooth transition. He has worked with chief executive Ferran Soriano before as well as with players including Rodri, Ruben Dias, Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and Nathan Ake.
He added: “It’s much easier when you join a club or a place where you already connect with the people and know already the people inside the building. I know most of the people in terms of squad, in terms of players I probably will find four or five players from the season the last time I was here.
“But I think it’s much easier for me, but for any manager to join a club where you already know people, the leadership group and players and people inside the building.”
City are set to make England midfielder Elliot Anderson the most expensive British player ever, with a £116m deal from Nottingham Forest, but Maresca added: “The squad is already good, for sure. We need to do some things, but we are working and we will see.”
