Manchester City have formally announced Enzo Maresca as their new manager amid Chelsea claims that the Italian will personally pay compensation as part of a settlement that allows him to take over at the Etihad Stadium.
Maresca was finally unveiled as Pep Guardiola's successor on a three-year deal on Monday.
The announcement was quickly followed by a lengthy statement from Chelsea in which the club said they have received compensation from both City and Maresca himself.
In a statement on Instagram, Maresca apologized to Chelsea for the "disruption" caused by his departure from Stamford Bridge in January but said he was "ecstatic" to be joining City.
Sources close to City have told ESPN that their relationship with Chelsea remains good and that the delay in announcing Maresca was down to the contractual dispute between the 46-year-old and Chelsea.
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Chelsea's statement read: "In Autumn last year, the club was informed by our former head coach that there might be an opportunity for him to succeed Pep Guardiola at the end of the season.
"It became clear to us that it was his strong desire to succeed Guardiola and that he was fully committed to pursuing the opportunity, despite the fact he was under a long-term contract which he had no right to terminate.
"In December 2025, our head coach unexpectedly and abruptly resigned from his position.
"In the circumstances and given the mutual respect between clubs, a confidential settlement has been reached with Manchester City, which includes the payment of compensation.
"A confidential settlement has also been reached with the former Head Coach under which he will pay compensation."
Maresca joined Chelsea in 2024 on a five-year deal and won the Conference League and Club World Cup during 18 months in charge.
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He left Stamford Bridge on Jan. 1, 2026, and was replaced by Liam Rosenior. After a disastrous second half of the season, Rosenior was sacked in April as Chelsea finished 10th in the Premier League to miss out on European qualification.
Maresca returns to City for a third spell after previously working as head coach of the Elite Development Squad and as Guardiola's first-team assistant between 2022 and 2023.
"At the end of December 2025, I made the difficult decision to leave Chelsea," Maresca said in a post on Instagram.
"The decision was only mine. My resignation from Chelsea opened a path for me to join Manchester City, which is a club I knew very well. I am ecstatic that I have now joined Manchester City.
"I recognise that my departure from Chelsea in the middle of the season caused disruption for the club and I apologise for that. It was neither my intention nor my wish."