After three years away, Enzo Maresca has returned to Manchester City.

The Italian, who was Pep Guardiola’s assistant during City’s Treble-winning 2022-23 campaign, has succeeded the Spaniard as City’s new head coach on a three-year deal.

The former Chelsea manager’s appointment underlines the 46-year-old’s rapid rise in management, having only taken his first head coach’s role in 2021.

He now faces the unenviable task of following Guardiola – who won 20 trophies in his 10 years at City.

Maresca has called the job a “huge challenge”.

“Probably the reason why I am here is also because the idea from the club is to maintain the same style of football, the same idea,” he said.

“And we are going to try to do the most important thing in football which is try to win, to achieve important things. Then the day-by-day is also going to dictate the way I will work.”

Guardiola had previously described Maresca as “one of the best managers in the world” but what has convinced the club’s hierarchy?

Maresca is part Italian, part Spanish in his approach to coaching and life.

His Spanish influence stems from his family, and his exposure to Guardiola’s Barcelona while he was at Sevilla and Malaga during the peak years of his playing career.