Enzo Maresca held his first press conference as Manchester City manager on Friday, declaring he will not attempt to replicate the style of predecessor Pep Guardiola after the club paid Chelsea £17 million in compensation to secure his appointment. The 46-year-old Italian replaces Guardiola, who departed after a decade in charge, and arrives having won the Conference League and Club World Cup during an 18-month spell at Chelsea.
Maresca, who previously served as a Guardiola assistant in 2022/23, acknowledged the challenge of following a long-serving manager, citing the difficulties faced by successors of Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsène Wenger. He has yet to name a captain to replace Bernardo Silva, with Ruben Dias, Rodri, and Erling Haaland under consideration. Jack Grealish has returned to the squad following his loan at Everton.
Rodri, who won the World Cup with Spain earlier this month, will undergo back surgery on Monday and miss the season opener against Bournemouth on 23 August. Maresca also sent condolences to the family of Kevin Keegan, the former City manager who died on 20 July. Second-choice goalkeeper James Trafford is reportedly a target for Leeds.