Chelsea have confirmed that Enzo Maresca has apologised to the club following his unexpected departure to become Manchester City’s new manager, with the Blues also set to receive significant compensation for the Italian’s exit.
Manchester City officially unveiled Maresca as Pep Guardiola’s successor on a three-year contract, ending months of speculation over who would replace the club’s long-serving manager.
According to reports, City will pay Chelsea £17 million in compensation after Maresca left Stamford Bridge despite having three-and-a-half years remaining on his contract.
Chelsea accompanied the announcement with a strongly worded statement detailing the circumstances surrounding the Italian’s departure, claiming his desire to succeed Guardiola became apparent months before he resigned.
The Premier League club revealed that Maresca informed them during the autumn of 2025 that there was a possibility of taking over at Manchester City 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,” Chelsea said in the statement.
The Blues also expressed their disappointment over the manner of his exit.
“In December 2025, our head coach unexpectedly and abruptly resigned from his position. Obviously, we felt let down as we believed that his head and heart were focused on another club and another opportunity, despite having just arrived at Chelsea the year before.”
Despite the acrimonious split, Chelsea confirmed that Maresca has since apologised to the club, while Manchester City’s compensation package brings an end to the contractual dispute between the two Premier League rivals.
Maresca enjoyed a successful spell at Chelsea, guiding the club to UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup titles during his only full season in charge before opting to return to Manchester for his first managerial role at the Etihad Stadium.
