Here’s how Man City might line up under Enzo Maresca, with a dream signing and a key Pep Guardiola player left out.
Manchester City looks set to have Enzo Maresca in charge at the Etihad Stadium next season. The Italian coach is believed to have agreed to a three-year deal to take over from his mentor, Pep Guardiola. While nothing has been officially announced, many reports say Guardiola is planning to leave after an amazing 10 years and 20 trophies with the club. He has already told his players, and Sunday’s game against Aston Villa will be his 593rd and final match as City manager.
Maresca seems to have been Guardiola’s top choice for a while now. He reportedly told Chelsea about his talks with City earlier this year. Maresca left Chelsea in January but they might still get some compensation since he didn’t claim severance and had over three years left on his contract. Taking over at City looks like a sure thing. This will be Maresca’s third time at the club, having managed the Elite Development Squad and worked as a coach on Guardiola’s staff during their treble-winning 2022/23 season.
Maresca has learned a lot from Guardiola’s style and prefers formations like 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1. But fans are curious to see how he will add his own touch to the team. SPORTbible has shared some thoughts on what City might look like under Maresca.
Guardiola surprised many by bringing in Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris Saint-Germain. James Trafford, who started as goalie in the first three games, had looked set to be City’s number one. But Donnarumma took over as the main keeper, with Trafford doing very well in cup matches, helping City win both the Carabao and FA Cups. Trafford, known for his skills with the ball, was actually Maresca’s goalkeeper when they won the Premier League 2 title in 2020/21.
Matheus Nunes has improved a lot and nailed down the right-back spot. Under Maresca, he might be asked to play more “inverted” roles. Abdukodir Khusanov and Marc Guehi have built a strong defense partnership for the future, and Josko Gvardiol remains one of City’s best players thanks to his flexibility.
Rodri, when fit, is one of the world’s top players in his position and will be central to Maresca’s plans—likely as the new captain. But City needs help in midfield after Bernardo Silva’s departure. Their top target appears to be Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest. Now a regular in the England team, Anderson could cost more than £80 million, but would be a vital signing, despite stiff competition for him. Another possible option is Adam Wharton from Crystal Palace, who plays a different midfield style.
Nico O’Reilly might get more chances in his favorite box-to-box midfield role under Maresca. Phil Foden fits best in a deeper midfield spot but needs to get back to his best form before he becomes a regular starter again.
City’s attack probably won’t change much. Savinho and Omar Marmoush might leave in the summer. Rayan Cherki will be given a free role on the right, similar to how Maresca used Cole Palmer at Chelsea. Jeremy Doku will work on scoring more to take some pressure off star striker Erling Haaland, who should always play through the middle.
Antoine Semenyo will stay important, playing on either wing after scoring 10 goals following his £64 million move from Bournemouth. City might also bring in another attacker to strengthen the options up front.