Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano released a new video discussing several major football topics, including the next manager of Manchester City F.C. and Mikel Arteta’s contract renewal.

On Guardiola Leaving Manchester City

Pep Guardiola leaving Manchester City is now officially settled. Viewers who follow the channel probably saw it coming, as I already mentioned back in January that this was a strong possibility.

Enzo Maresca will officially replace Guardiola as Manchester City’s new head coach. The only remaining question before was whether Guardiola would leave at the end of this season, in the summer of 2026, or in 2027. He has now decided to step down immediately after this season, which aligns with what we have consistently believed. After all, Maresca was clearly not going to wait another year and a half to take over, so we always expected Guardiola to leave once the current campaign ended.

Guardiola has been trying to keep the situation stable publicly, and the timing of the news breaking tonight was somewhat awkward given that Arsenal F.C. are still fighting for the title. Still, this is not criticism — everyone makes their own decisions. In any case, the end of an era at Manchester City is approaching, and a new chapter is about to begin.

Was Maresca Always the Only Candidate?

Manchester City internally decided long ago that Maresca was the ideal person to lead the club into the “post-Guardiola era.” His work at Chelsea F.C. has been highly impressive. He guided the team to FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Europa Conference League titles, and also brought Chelsea back into the UEFA Champions League. In contrast, Chelsea this season have clearly fallen short of Champions League qualification.

Maresca also has deep ties with Manchester City. He previously worked within the club’s academy setup and later served as Guardiola’s assistant coach. He understands the club perfectly, has an excellent relationship with the hierarchy, and is viewed as the ideal successor.

Manchester City have already reached an agreement with Maresca, and he will officially become head coach starting from the 2026–27 season.

As far as I know, the contract will likely be around three years long, although I still need to confirm the exact details since this information only emerged tonight. More details are expected in the coming days.

It is important to stress again that Maresca was the only genuine candidate, because Kompany will not leave FC Bayern Munich, while Xabi Alonso has already decided to coach Chelsea.

Could Conte Be the Next Big Coaching Change?

I believe Antonio Conte could indeed be the next major managerial domino to fall.

Over the past few years, his collaboration with S.S.C. Napoli has been extremely successful. He led the club to the Serie A title in the 2024–25 season and also won the Italian Super Cup this year. However, Conte may now feel it is time for a new challenge in his career.

Of course, surprises are always possible, but based on tonight’s information, he is expected to leave Napoli after the season concludes, with only one match remaining.

Once he leaves Napoli, Conte is expected to seriously consider his next step, and one possibility is a return to the Italy national football team. He previously coached the Azzurri at the UEFA European Championship and has openly stated several times that he hopes to manage Italy again one day.

Conte is one of the leading candidates for the Italy national team job, though not the only option. Everything will depend on the official confirmation of his departure from Napoli.

There are also reports tonight suggesting that former Chelsea and Napoli manager Maurizio Sarri could return to Napoli as Conte’s replacement. He is currently viewed as the leading candidate, though not the only one being considered.

What About Luis Enrique?

I can clearly tell you that Luis Enrique was once viewed internally by Manchester United F.C. as a “secret dream candidate.”

Between January and February this year, Manchester United explored the possibility of appointing him this summer. However, the move never progressed because Enrique remained fully focused on his work at Paris Saint-Germain F.C., while United had already decided to continue with Erik ten Hag at that stage.

Now, Enrique is in the final stages of contract renewal talks with Paris Saint-Germain. Only minor details remain unresolved, and the extension is expected to be completed after the UEFA Champions League final.

PSG have already secured the Ligue 1 title and are now fully focused on preparing for the Champions League final in Budapest in a few days’ time. Negotiations are progressing very smoothly, and Enrique is expected to sign his new deal soon.

Is Arteta Close to Renewing with Arsenal?

Yes, I believe Arteta will sign a new contract with Arsenal this summer.

The reason there has been no official announcement yet is similar to PSG’s situation — Arsenal still have a Champions League final to play, and only one Premier League match remains. They are just one step away from a league title the club has been chasing for years.

Regardless of the outcomes of those two matches, Arsenal are fully prepared to offer Arteta a new long-term contract. The deal would include a salary increase and complete trust from the club, including significant influence over transfer decisions.

Arsenal’s faith in Arteta extends beyond his coaching work on the pitch and also covers broader club matters off the field. I am convinced the renewal will happen. Both sides are simply finalizing some details, and Arteta maintains an excellent relationship with the Arsenal board. The club owner was also present today.

At this stage, it is only a matter of time before everything is finalized.