Following the official announcement of his appointment at Manchester City, Maresca explained his decision on social media.

Maresca's statement on social media:

At the end of December 2025, I made a difficult decision – to leave Chelsea.

This decision was entirely my own. My departure from Chelsea enabled me to join Manchester City, a club I know well. I am incredibly excited to now be part of Manchester City.

I acknowledge that my mid-season departure from Chelsea did impact the club, and I sincerely apologize for that. It was neither my intention nor the outcome I desired.

During my time at Chelsea, I was treated exceptionally well by everyone, and together we achieved great success and created wonderful memories that I will treasure forever.

I am grateful to the club, the owners, and the fans for the opportunity they gave me.

AF's PC site is now live! Browse full news, comments, match details and stats on your computer. Visit: www.allfootballapp.com