According to The Athletic journalist Sam Lee, Maresca wants a larger squad and may make significant changes to the team.
Manchester City officially announced Maresca as their new head coach on Monday, with both parties signing a three-year contract. The appointment reflects the club's expectation that Maresca will provide continuity after Guardiola's decade-long tenure.
Maresca worked closely with Guardiola as Manchester City's U23 head coach and as an assistant coach for the first team during the 2022-23 season, helping the club win the treble. He is deeply familiar with the club's operations and Guardiola's coaching philosophy.
Those familiar with Maresca say his approach will differ from Guardiola's. Rather than becoming a symbolic figure for the entire club, Maresca will focus primarily on his coaching role. This adjustment may take time to settle.
Guardiola was accustomed to addressing various public matters and earned a reputation among Manchester City fans beyond on-field success by defending the club—whether regarding the overturned Champions League ban or the ongoing 115 charges.
Manchester City appears content with this change. While Mubarak holds significant influence, he rarely gives interviews outside the season's end, and CEO Ferran Soriano has given only one interview to official club media since 2020. Guardiola handled most public-facing matters and appeared to enjoy the role. Now the situation is different.
Manchester City believes Maresca is one of few coaches in world football capable of continuing Guardiola's work. Other candidates considered included Kompany and De Zerbi. The role will focus on coaching and managing behind-the-scenes staff. While not all fans welcome the appointment, Manchester City is satisfied with the choice and optimistic about Maresca's ability to lead the club forward.
Ultimately, on-field performance will prove the decision. Many fans will need time to adapt, and public image remains important for football coaches.
Manchester City's football style may differ noticeably from Guardiola's peak years. Some within the club see opportunities for improvement in specific areas, such as set pieces.
Few would expect Maresca to match the value-for-money achieved under Guardiola. Considering the team's level when his predecessor arrived and departed, such expectations would be unrealistic.
The modern player market presents another challenge: physicality is increasingly important. Even if Guardiola had remained, would technically gifted midfielders like Bernardo Silva and Gündoğan survive in today's Premier League? Unlikely.
While Guardiola may have ideologically opposed the frequent penalty-box scrambles common in last season's Premier League, Manchester City's threat from set pieces remains lower than expected for a club of their stature. This is an area where they can improve under Maresca.
Maresca wants a larger squad than Guardiola employed. He witnessed firsthand how Guardiola involved the entire first-team support staff—from kit managers to chefs—in crafting his special system.
Bernardo Silva deeply understood all the demands of Guardiola's tactical system. He played an irreplaceable role in adapting to the Premier League's increasing physical intensity.
Most clubs now favor energetic, strong man-marking football over possession-based play. Guardiola still implemented his philosophy as much as possible, though he made adjustments by deploying powerful, fast, physically capable players like Nico O'Reilly, Nunes, Khusanov, and Semenyo. The core remained anchored to Bernardo Silva and Rodri.
Manchester City's likely £116 million signing of Elliott Anderson reflects the team's growing need for midfield physicality and dynamism. It signals a shift away from relying heavily on the subtle technical touches of players like Bernardo Silva and Rodri when facing man-marking and high pressing.
This doesn't mean Guardiola held Manchester City back, nor does it mean Maresca will abandon technical excellence. Rather, the Premier League is evolving, and Manchester City must adapt accordingly, regardless of who coaches.
Maresca's preferred dynamic style is evident in the midfield pairing of Caicedo and Enzo Fernández at Chelsea. Anderson's active involvement in attacks across the pitch at Nottingham Forest suggests echoes of Bernardo Silva's profile—his willingness to roam and his outstanding off-the-ball abilities have impressed Manchester City.
Should Rodri leave within the next year or two, the silver lining is that the club may have greater flexibility in finding a replacement.
Maresca has already been in contact with Sporting Director Hugo Viana regarding summer transfer targets. Manchester City has long been planning for the post-Guardiola era and has made significant squad adjustments over the past 18 months.
However, several recent signings may depart in the coming months, meaning Manchester City will likely need more acquisitions than initially expected. For instance, Nico González, who joined just 16 months ago, is expected to leave this transfer window.
Questions also surround Reijnders, despite joining only last June. Savinho arrived in summer 2024. Tottenham showed interest a year ago and remain interested now.
Manchester City has identified a need for a winger, which may explain Savinho's potential departure. Alternatively, if Semenyo serves as backup for Haaland, Marmoush could also leave.
The club has been seeking a right-back and defensive midfielder, having anticipated Bernardo Silva's departure and Guardiola's conclusion that Lewis lacked the physicality required for the modern Premier League. Nunes remains the only qualified right-back.
The goalkeeping position is a concern. Like Guardiola in 2016, Maresca prefers goalkeepers with excellent passing ability, while Donnarumma's distribution is limited. Trafford was reportedly unhappy when Manchester City signed Donnarumma last September.
Trafford's departure this summer has been anticipated, but if Maresca truly prioritizes a goalkeeper with superior footwork, the team's tactical system could change from day one.
Sources close to Maresca indicate he believes the team has significant room for improvement. Given the many Manchester City players involved in the World Cup, this summer presents a challenging environment for Maresca, with only a limited number of first-team players available for the preseason tour.
Donnarumma, Foden, Lewis, and Savinho (if still at the club) will be available. Vitor Reis will join; he was acquired in January 2025 and spent last season on loan at Girona.
Echeverri may also be available after loans at Leverkusen and Girona last season. Following Uzbekistan's World Cup group-stage elimination, Khusanov should have playing time. Grealish, sidelined by a foot injury that ended his season in January, will also be available.
Guardiola historically treated early Premier League matches as preseason due to player absences from international competitions. Maresca may adopt the same approach.
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