Guardiola to Exit Man City; Maresca Lineup Nears

Published: 19 May 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online.

The European football landscape faces a monumental shift as Pep Guardiola prepares his final departure. The legendary manager recently addressed his squad regarding his decision to leave the club. This emotional meeting followed unexpected news leaks that surfaced early on Monday evening. Guardiola faced the media while preparing for a vital match against Bournemouth. He originally hoped to keep this major decision quiet until the season ended. The manager wanted to avoid any unnecessary distractions during a tense title race. Manchester City must secure a victory on Tuesday to keep their hopes alive. Arsenal currently hold a five-point lead after defeating Burnley in dramatic fashion. The title race will now likely conclude on the final day against Aston Villa.

Guardiola will leave Manchester City after ten incredibly successful years at the helm. He still has one full season remaining on his current lucrative contract. The club hierarchy has quickly identified Enzo Maresca as the ideal replacement. Chelsea are now set to receive substantial financial compensation for their former manager. This situation follows the Italian manager’s highly controversial departure on New Year’s Day. Manchester City have reportedly agreed a three-year deal in principle with Maresca. Several complex legal issues still require resolution before he can sign the contract. The former Leicester City manager still holds strict contractual obligations to Chelsea. He chose to walk away with three and a half years remaining. Chelsea also held a valuable option to extend that contract further.Sources close to the Italian manager have confirmed his financial status with Chelsea. Maresca chose not to claim any severance pay when he left London. This decision means the Stamford Bridge club still hold his lucrative compensation rights. The London club remains in a strong position to demand a massive fee. The exact figure for the legal claim remains strictly confidential for now. Industry insiders expect the final compensation number to be exceptionally high indeed. Chelsea executives have watched these recent managerial developments unfold with great interest. They believe Maresca’s sudden resignation derailed their entire football season completely. The team suffered a major dip in form during the second half. Chelsea will likely miss out on Champions League qualification for next season.

The London club also suffered a painful defeat in the FA Cup final. Manchester City secured the trophy against them just last Saturday at Wembley Stadium. Liam Rosenior struggled immensely after taking over the managerial reins from Maresca. The board made the difficult decision to fire him just last month. Callum McFarlane stepped up to manage the first team on an interim basis. He will look after the squad until the current campaign officially concludes. Xabi Alonso is already scheduled to join the club as manager this summer. The BlueCo ownership group originally had no desire to change managers mid-season. They preferred stability on the bench during a very demanding competitive period.

The internal situation deteriorated rapidly after a match against Everton in mid-December. Maresca publicly stated he had just experienced his worst forty-eight hours. It later emerged he had held discussions with people connected to City. These secret talks focused entirely on replacing Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium. Significant tension had already flared between Maresca and the Chelsea hierarchy earlier. This conflict began directly after their historic Club World Cup triumph last summer. Maresca firmly believed his recent success merited a lucrative new contract offer. He felt deeply disappointed when the board failed to support his vision. The club did not sign a replacement after Levi Colwill suffered injury.

Colwill sustained a serious knee injury during a busy pre-season tour. Chelsea directors believed no suitable defenders were available in the transfer market. This structural disagreement was never truly resolved to the satisfaction of either party. Sources indicate Maresca used external interest to gain leverage during contract negotiations. He pointed to genuine interest from European giants Manchester City and Juventus. The working relationship reached a point of no return late in December. Chelsea suffered a frustrating two-two draw at home against Bournemouth. Maresca completely failed to attend his mandatory post-match media duties that day. Club officials initially blamed his sudden absence on a bout of illness.

It later emerged that the manager simply refused to face the media. Reliable sources confirm that Maresca met with club bosses in his office. He clearly indicated his firm intention to resign from his position immediately. Maresca now intends to bring Willy Caballero to Manchester City with him. The former Argentinian goalkeeper served as his trusted assistant at Leicester City. Caballero then followed the Italian manager to Chelsea to occupy the same role. The popular former goalkeeper previously played for Manchester City for three seasons. He left Chelsea alongside Maresca and waits to start his new role.

Check our latest news