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Chelsea and Manchester City are negotiating over compensation fees related to Enzo Maresca’s departure, with insiders at Stamford Bridge arguing the manager’s abrupt exit was one of the key factors behind the club’s disastrous domestic campaign this term.
Maresca was tied to a Chelsea contract running until 2029 but stepped down unexpectedly on New Year’s Day. Reports later emerged that the 46-year-old Italian had previously informed his former employers that he had held talks with Manchester City’s representatives over a potential summer switch to succeed Pep Guardiola.
Stamford Bridge insiders believe Maresca’s mid-season exit contributed to Chelsea finishing tenth in the Premier League and missing out on all European qualification spots.
Club figures have also voiced frustration over Maresca’s conduct prior to his departure, such as his public comments referencing “the worst 48 hours” fewer than three weeks before officially parting ways with Chelsea.
Sources have not disclosed the exact compensation sum Chelsea is demanding from Manchester City, though the fee is expected to be substantial.
Maresca still had three and a half years remaining on his deal, or four and a half years if Chelsea activated an optional one-year extension. Before the team’s sharp late-season collapse, Chelsea had been on track to secure Champions League qualification.
Maresca has long been tipped as Pep Guardiola’s preferred successor after working as his assistant coach, including during Manchester City’s historic treble-winning 2022–23 campaign. Guardiola has given his blessing for Maresca’s appointment, and City have tabled a three-year managerial contract. It remains unknown whether the ongoing compensation talks will delay the official managerial announcement.
Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid, Juventus and AC Milan previously contacted Maresca’s agent Jorge Mendes, yet following his Chelsea exit, Maresca has set his sights solely on the Manchester City job. He lifted the FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Europa Conference League trophies during his spell in charge of Chelsea.
