Pep Guardiola has told Manchester City's players he will be leaving the club at the end of the season, with the announcement coming earlier than he had intended after news of his exit broke publicly on Monday night.

The Catalan manager had hoped to keep the decision quiet for as long as possible, mindful of not creating a distraction during a pivotal final stretch of the campaign. City still need to beat Bournemouth on Tuesday evening to keep the title race alive heading into Sunday's last Premier League fixture against Aston Villa, where Arsenal currently sit five points clear after beating Burnley.

Guardiola is departing with a year remaining on his contract, bringing down the curtain on a decade at the Etihad. City have moved quickly to identify his successor, and the noises out of the club point firmly in one direction: Enzo Maresca.

Three-Year Deal in Principle

City are understood to have agreed a three-year deal in principle with Maresca, though the move is not yet a done deal. The complication sits across the capital — Chelsea are entitled to seek compensation for the Italian, who walked away from Stamford Bridge on New Year's Day with three and a half years still remaining on his contract, plus a club option for a further year.

Sources close to Maresca have confirmed he did not claim severance on his way out, meaning Chelsea retain his compensation rights. The precise figure being sought has not been made public, but it is unlikely to be modest given the length of contract he abandoned and the circumstances of his exit.

Maresca had worked under Guardiola as his No 2 at City during the 2022-23 season before taking the Leicester job, winning the Championship title and earning the move to Chelsea. His time in west London ended acrimoniously after it emerged he had held preliminary talks about succeeding Guardiola — twice — without informing the club.

Chelsea Count the Cost

From Chelsea's perspective, Maresca's departure is seen as the root cause of a miserable second half to their season. They have watched City's managerial situation unfold with considerable interest, and they are in a strong position to extract a significant fee before allowing him to complete his move to the Etihad.

The relationship between Maresca and the Chelsea hierarchy had been deteriorating for some time. Tension surfaced after last summer's Club World Cup triumph, when Maresca felt he deserved a new deal and grew frustrated when the club did not bring in a centre-back following Levi Colwill's serious knee injury in pre-season. Sources indicate Maresca also attempted to use reported interest from City and Juventus as leverage in contract negotiations.

The situation reached a head after a 2-2 home draw with Bournemouth on 30 December. Maresca skipped his post-match media duties — initially attributed to illness — and subsequently told the club he intended to resign. He was gone on New Year's Day.

Liam Rosenior came in as replacement but struggled and was sacked last month. Callum McFarlane is currently serving as interim, with Xabi Alonso set to arrive in the summer. Chelsea missed out on the FA Cup last Saturday, losing the final to City, and are likely to miss the Champions League places entirely.

Familiar Face in the Dugout

Should the deal be finalised, Maresca is expected to bring Willy Caballero with him to City as part of his backroom staff. The former goalkeeper, who played for City until 2017, served as Maresca's assistant at both Leicester and Chelsea. He left Stamford Bridge alongside Maresca in January and is understood to be part of the plan for the Etihad rebuild.

City's era under Guardiola — the most decorated managerial reign in English football history — formally ends on Sunday afternoon. Whatever happens in the title race between now and then, the task of succeeding him falls to a man who once sat alongside him in the same dugout.

Frequently asked

Why is Pep Guardiola leaving Manchester City?
Guardiola is leaving at the end of the 2025-26 season with one year still remaining on his contract. He had kept the decision private but was forced to address his squad after the news became public on Monday night.
Who is replacing Pep Guardiola at Manchester City?
Manchester City have agreed a three-year deal in principle with Enzo Maresca, who previously worked as Guardiola's assistant at the club during the 2022-23 season. The move is subject to compensation being agreed with Chelsea.
Why do Chelsea get compensation for Enzo Maresca joining City?
Maresca resigned from Chelsea on New Year's Day with roughly three and a half years left on his contract. He did not claim severance when he left, meaning Chelsea retain his compensation rights and can demand a fee from any club that appoints him.