From Disciple to Messiah: How Enzo Maresca Could Rebuild Manchester City Without Spending a Penny

As a manager who drastically reshaped his club, and the whole Premier League for that matter, Manchester City fans were understandably distraught at the news that Pep Guardiola would be leaving the club after a decade in charge. However, concerns surrounding how the Citizens could move on from an era which yielded 18 major trophies have been somewhat quashed by the announcement that Enzo Maresca would be Guardiola's successor.

As one of many elite managers who honed their craft under Guardiola, Maresca, who served as Guardiola's assistant from 2022 to 2023, provides Manchester City with a sense of continuity, a reassurance that the same principles that resulted in them conquering European football will remain in place for the foreseeable future.

The former Italian U21 international, who has already achieved silverware in Manchester by winning the 2020/21 Premier League 2 title with Manchester City's Elite Development Squad, returns to Manchester with a distinct tactical identity. Much like his mentor Guardiola, Maresca has historically favoured ball domination, balance, and patience; an approach reflected in his understanding that football is akin to chess.

Whilst this suggests that an overhaul to the Citizens' squad might not be a necessity, Maresca's approach is one highly differentiated from the much more direct, efficient, and compact tactical approach adopted by Guardiola towards the end of his tenure at the Etihad. Although Maresca will surely be backed in the transfer market, here's how the Italian's Manchester City side could look without a penny being spent.

GK: Gianluigi Donnarumma

As a manager who places great emphasis on playing out from the back, with his goalkeepers forming an integral part of build-up play within both his Leicester and Chelsea sides, popular consciousness would suggest that Gianluigi Donnarumma is the antithesis of what Maresca wants between the sticks. Despite the Italian international being widely regarded as a world-class shot-stopper and a hugely commanding presence within his box, Donnarumma is often understood to have a real weakness when it comes to playing the ball with his feet.

However, whilst assumptions around the 6ft 5in Italian's shot-stopping ability are backed up by the fact that he ranked first for goals prevented across the 2025/26 Premier League season, preventing 1.40 goals more than second-place Senne Lammers, and holding a save percentage of 72.9%, the best across the same period, conceptualisations of Donnarumma as a disaster with his feet largely miss the mark. Across his debut season for Manchester City, Donnarumma completed 20.8 passes per 90 at a completion rate of 80.3%; numbers that compare favourably against Maresca's previous goalkeepers, Mads Hermansen (2023/24) and Robert Sanchez (2024/25), who completed passes at rates of 83.1% and 65.3% respectively.

As a result of this, although back-up goalkeeper James Trafford has experience playing under Maresca, Gianluigi Donnarumma's exceptional shot-stopping ability and acceptable passing range make him the clear choice between the sticks for Maresca.

RB: Abdukodir Khusanov

Despite Matheus Nunes' admirable performances playing out of position across the 2025/26 season, the right-back position remains a weakness within the Manchester City squad. Whilst this has prompted rumours surrounding an attempted acquisition of Newcastle's Tino Livramento, Abdukodir Khusanov could be a strong fit for Maresca's unconventional system.

Maresca has typically utilised one of his full-backs as a wide centre-back, providing cover in a side that commits many players forward. In this sense, Khusanov, who conventionally plays as a centre-back, profiles as a strong fit for Maresca's right-back. Alongside being an assured defender, completing 1.70 tackles, 2.08 interceptions and a mammoth 4.72 recoveries across the 2025/26 Premier League season, Khusanov would also provide Maresca's defence with a high level of athleticism. Reaching a top speed of 36.5 km/h in Uzbekistan's opening game of the 2026 World Cup, the young Uzbekistani would help solve Maresca's continual struggles of conceding to counter-attacks.

CB: Marc Guéhi

A centre-back who is both assured in possession and excellent defensively, Marc Guéhi will surely be a regular starter under Enzo Maresca. At just 25, the former Crystal Palace captain plays with a level of maturity that is beyond his years. Having joined Manchester City for £20.00m in the January 2026 window, the Cobham academy graduate proved that he belonged at the top table of European football by seamlessly making the step up from Conference to Champions League football.

Guéhi's defensive solidity is exemplified by his per ninety averages of 8.09 defensive contributions, 1.31 tackles and 3.94 recoveries across the 2025/26 Premier League season. Whilst his defensive quality is undeniable, Guéhi is more than just an old-school defensive rock. The English international is more than competent with his feet, completing 2,070 passes across the 2025/26 season at a completion rate of 89.6%. Such a skillset makes Guéhi a perfect fit for Maresca's progressive system, which relies on the central defenders for both ball progression and defensive solidity.

CB: Josko Gvardiol

Already one of Europe's premier defenders, Josko Gvardiol appears almost tailor-made for Enzo Maresca's positional system. Whilst Guardiola increasingly utilised the Croatian as an attack-minded left-back, Maresca's preference for building with a back three would likely see Gvardiol return to his more natural role at left centre-back, where his combination of physicality, composure and progressive passing can be maximised.

Defensively, Gvardiol remains amongst the Premier League's most complete defenders. Equally comfortable defending large spaces as he is protecting his own penalty area, the Croatian's recovery pace allows Manchester City to maintain the aggressive defensive line that has become synonymous with the club over the past decade. His ability to step into midfield with possession also provides an additional route through opposition presses, a feature of great importance within Maresca's build-up structure.

Beyond his defensive qualities, Gvardiol's technical security makes him indispensable. Comfortable receiving under pressure and capable of progressing possession through both passing and ball carrying, the former RB Leipzig defender provides exactly the profile required for a system that places enormous responsibility upon its central defenders during the first phase of possession. Whilst his role may become slightly less adventurous than under Guardiola, Gvardiol could become integral to Maresca's defensive structure.

LB: Nico O'Reilly

One of the greatest beneficiaries of Maresca's impending appointment looks likely to be academy graduate Nico O'Reilly. A central midfielder by trade, O'Reilly has been largely deployed as a box-crashing left-back by Pep Guardiola since the Englishman's breakthrough in the 2024/25 season. O'Reilly is a physically imposing player with a unique blend of attributes that will allow him to flourish in the unique role that Maresca bestows upon one of his full-backs.

Unlike the conventional use of the role, Maresca inverts his left-back and utilises him as a second central midfielder. This creates a narrow back three system (Khusanov, Guéhi and Gvardiol) with two midfielders in front (González and O'Reilly), leaving space for an attacking five-piece (Cherki, Foden, Doku, Semenyo and Haaland) to operate freely. In order for this system to work, Maresca requires an inverting left-back who is both mobile and defensively solid. Fortunately, O'Reilly holds both of those attributes, winning 5.47 duels, 2.31 tackles and 3.70 recoveries per ninety across the 2025/26 season.

In addition to the defensive responsibilities of the role, Maresca's inverted full-back is expected to advance and join the attack, making late runs into a crowded box. Whilst Marc Cucurella did this to great effect, scoring five goals across the 2024/25 season for Chelsea, Nico O'Reilly has the potential to thrive even more. Standing at 6ft 4in, O'Reilly has become renowned for his box-crashing ability from deep, scoring nine goals in all competitions across 2025/26. This, when coupled with the Englishman's dribbling ability and positional awareness, reveals a player tailor-made for Maresca.

CM: Nico González

Having served largely as an understudy to Rodri thus far in his Premier League career, Nico González could be set for a breakout season under Maresca. Whilst not often considered amongst Manchester City's most glamorous midfielders, the La Masia graduate is an exceptionally well-rounded midfielder who maintains a level of mobility that Rodri can no longer offer. A player who has long been known as promising, the 2025/26 season finally saw the Spaniard deliver on the potential that prompted the Citizens to part with £50.00m in the winter of 2025.

Whilst his 11.8 defensive contributions, 2.41 tackles and 6.03 duels won per ninety indicate a midfielder with the capability to lock down the opposition, it is González's technical ability that will be most appealing to Maresca. A 70.6% dribble completion rate, 90.3% pass completion rate and 90.2 touches per ninety reveal a technically proficient midfielder capable of being a metronomic presence in a ball-dominant side.

Although reports suggest that Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson is the club's primary target to occupy this role, in González City already possess a player capable of flourishing under Maresca.

CM: Phil Foden

Despite conventionally being deployed in a more advanced role, Phil Foden could be set for somewhat of a career rejuvenation under Maresca. Coming off the disappointment of failing to make the England squad for the 2026 World Cup, the Manchester City academy graduate needs to once again kick his career into life. Although, on the surface, a strange selection at the central midfield position, Foden would excel with the freedom that Marescaball affords to its second central midfielder. With, in this conceptualisation, the majority of midfield responsibility being split between Nico González and the inverting Nico O'Reilly, Phil Foden would be afforded a much freer role than a conventional central midfielder. This model can be seen in Maresca's Chelsea side where, despite his position in the official line-up, Enzo Fernández often functioned more so as a secondary floating number ten than as a conventional number eight.

It is through comparing Fernández and Foden that Foden's suitedness to this role becomes clear. In the 2024/25 season, Maresca's only full Premier League campaign as Chelsea manager, Enzo Fernández averaged 1.62 shots, 2.41 chances created and 1.65 fouls won per ninety. Attacking metrics supplemented by 3.21 defensive contributions, 1.99 tackles and 4.77 recoveries per ninety. In comparison, across the 2025/26 Premier League season, a season widely regarded to be one of his worst, Phil Foden averaged 2.38 shots, 2.33 chances created and 1.34 fouls won. Although favourable attacking statistics are perhaps expected with Foden's more advanced position, Foden's 6.91 defensive actions, 1.47 tackles and 4.40 recoveries compare incredibly favourably to Enzo's numbers.

Whilst not an obvious selection, Phil Foden serves as an excellent stylistic fit for Maresca's attacking system.

AM: Rayan Cherki

A maverick talent that even the control-obsessed Guardiola could not tame, Rayan Cherki provides Manchester City with a level of unpredictability that is often lost in the system-based approaches of managers like Maresca. Cherki's penchant for the spectacular can be seen in his expansive passing range and exceptional ability to beat his man, with the young Frenchman averaging 55.6 successful passes and 2.57 dribbles completed across his debut season in England. Eleven goals and 17 assists across this debut season further indicate Cherki's ability, as he is a player who converts underlying statistics into tangible outcomes.

Despite Cherki's reputation as something of a footballing maverick, there is little reason to suggest he would struggle to adapt to Maresca's highly structured positional system. During his sole full Premier League campaign with Chelsea, Maresca built much of his attacking structure around Cole Palmer, affording the England international the freedom to drift across the final third whilst the players around him maintained positional discipline. Rather than restricting Palmer's creativity, the structure provided him with consistent access to the spaces where he could have the greatest influence. Cherki appears an ideal successor to that role. His inclination to receive between the lines, combine in tight spaces and attempt defence-splitting passes mirrors many of the qualities that made Palmer the focal point of Maresca's attack. With Nico Gonzalez and Nico O'Reilly providing control beneath him and runners such as Jeremy Doku, Antoine Semenyo and Erling Haaland stretching opposition defences ahead of him, Cherki would be afforded the platform to do what he does best, create moments of brilliance within an otherwise meticulously organised attacking framework.

RW: Antoine Semenyo

Whilst Antoine Semenyo may lack the technical proficiency that is characteristic of this Manchester City squad, the Ghanaian international has brought a level of athleticism and directness that has often been absent from City's recent sides. A 2025/26 per ninety rate of 1.66 successful dribbles, 1.27 tackles and 2.33 shots reflects a player whose powerful carrying, relentless pressing and ability to attack defenders one-versus-one make him a constant threat during transitions. Alongside this, the former Bournemouth man's physical profile also offers City a greater aerial presence when attacking crosses or second balls.

Importantly, alongside offering a different profile to City's other forwards, Semenyo's work outside of possession aligns closely with Maresca's demands. His willingness to press aggressively, recover into defensive positions and support his full-back would provide greater balance to a side that frequently commits large numbers forward. Although not Maresca's dream winger, Semenyo offers something arguably more valuable within Maresca's system: a proven intensity, verticality and ability to relentlessly run.

LW: Jeremy Doku

Despite being a player who, before his final six months, Guardiola struggled to utilise effectively within Manchester City's more possession-heavy attacking structure, Maresca could be the coach who finally truly unlocks the Belgian's extraordinary talent. Few players in world football possess Doku's ability to eliminate defenders in isolation, and Maresca's preference for creating one-versus-one situations in wide areas should allow those strengths to flourish. Placing second for successful dribbles per ninety across the 2025/26 Premier League season, Maresca can expect Doku to be a driving force on the transition.

Although questions remain regarding his end product, Doku's ability to progress the ball and destabilise compact defensive blocks makes him an ideal stylistic fit. Under a manager prepared to embrace greater attacking freedom, the 24-year-old could finally establish himself as one of the Premier League's most devastating wide players.

ST: Erling Haaland

Despite suggestions that Maresca's more patient possession game may require a different profile of striker, Erling Haaland should remain the focal point of Manchester City's attack. Although often criticised for limited involvement during build-up play, such criticisms overlook the devastating efficiency that has made the Norwegian one of world football's most prolific goalscorers.

Indeed, Maresca's positional structure could prove highly beneficial for Haaland. By placing greater emphasis on creating central overloads before releasing runners into advanced areas, City's attack would likely generate the type of high-quality opportunities from which Haaland has built his remarkable goalscoring record. With creative players such as Phil Foden, Rayan Cherki and Jeremy Doku operating behind him, the Norwegian would continue receiving a constant stream of chances inside the penalty area.

Equally important is Haaland's ability to occupy opposition centre-backs. His physical presence consistently creates space for teammates arriving from deeper positions, a feature that would complement Maresca's tendency to flood attacking zones with midfield runners. Whilst Manchester City's style may evolve under their new manager, the identity of their primary goalscorer should remain unchanged.

Whether or not Maresca seeks to get him more involved in play, a return of 162 goals in 198 Manchester City games is undeniable and ensures Haaland retains his place as an unstoppable force for the Citizens.