Pep Guardiola has reportedly informed Manchester City’s squad that Sunday’s Premier League meeting with Aston Villa will mark his final game in charge of the club.

The City manager addressed his players after details of his planned departure surfaced on Monday evening, catching him off guard while he was preparing the team for Tuesday’s crucial encounter against Bournemouth.

Guardiola had originally hoped to keep the matter behind closed doors for a longer period in order to avoid disrupting City’s title pursuit. The champions still need a victory over Bournemouth to ensure the race goes down to the final day after Arsenal moved five points ahead following their win against Burnley.

His departure will bring an end to a decade-long spell at the Etihad, despite still having one year left on his existing contract.

Maresca Set for Return to the Etihad

Manchester City have already moved toward appointing Enzo Maresca as Guardiola’s successor. The Italian coach, currently linked to Chelsea, is understood to have agreed in principle to a three-year contract with City.

However, negotiations remain ongoing because of issues surrounding Maresca’s exit from Stamford Bridge. The former Leicester City boss still had three and a half years left on his Chelsea agreement when he stepped away from the role earlier this year, while the club also held an option to extend the contract by another season.

People close to Maresca have stated that he did not request any severance package after leaving Chelsea, meaning the London side retain the right to demand compensation from City. The exact figure has not been disclosed, although sources suggest it is expected to be substantial.

Maresca previously worked under Guardiola during City’s 2022-23 campaign, serving as assistant manager before moving into senior coaching roles elsewhere.

Chelsea Frustrated by Maresca Departure

Inside Chelsea, Maresca’s exit is believed to have played a major role in the club’s disappointing finish to the season.

The team are now facing the prospect of missing out on Champions League qualification and also suffered defeat to Manchester City in last weekend’s FA Cup final.

Following Maresca’s departure, Liam Rosenior struggled to steady performances after taking charge and was dismissed last month. Callum McFarlane has since been placed in interim control until Xabi Alonso arrives in the summer.

Chelsea’s ownership group, BlueCo, had reportedly been reluctant to make managerial changes during the campaign, but tensions behind the scenes had been building for months.

Problems Behind the Scenes at Stamford Bridge

Relations between Maresca and Chelsea executives reportedly became strained after the club’s triumph at last summer’s Club World Cup.

The Italian believed his achievements warranted improved contract terms and was frustrated by Chelsea’s decision not to sign a central defender after Levi Colwill suffered a serious knee injury during pre-season preparations.

While Chelsea’s hierarchy maintained that suitable defensive targets were unavailable, the disagreement remained unresolved. Reports also suggest Maresca attempted to use interest from Manchester City and Juventus as leverage during negotiations over a new deal.

Matters deteriorated further following Chelsea’s 2-2 draw at home to Bournemouth on 30 December. Maresca skipped his post-match media responsibilities, with illness initially cited as the reason for his absence.

It later emerged that he had informed the club he did not wish to speak publicly after the result. Sources indicate he then held talks with club officials in his office shortly after full-time and revealed his intention to resign.

Caballero Expected to Join New Coaching Staff

Maresca is also planning to reunite with Willy Caballero at Manchester City.

The former Argentina goalkeeper worked alongside Maresca at Leicester City before both moved to Chelsea, where Caballero continued as part of the coaching setup.

Caballero, who spent three years as a City player before leaving in 2017, departed Chelsea at the same time as Maresca and is now expected to become part of the Italian’s backroom staff at the Etihad.