Row erupts over Enzo Maresca to Man City with Chelsea threatening legal action if they don’t pay up compensation for their former manager to replace Pep Guardiola

Chelsea are set to demand compensation from Manchester City should they appoint Enzo Maresca – and take legal action if it is not forthcoming.

Stamford Bridge officials were left incensed with the Italian amid allegations he had spoken with City while still in post with them.

And with Maresca, who subsequently departed in acrimonious circumstances, now set to replace Pep Guardiola – whose exit Daily Mail Sport revealed last night – Chelsea are primed for action.

Should a figure not be agreed, the west London club could then complain to the Premier League, which would then investigate.

Last month, at a conference in Los Angeles, Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali was asked about Maresca’s exit.

‘The change wasn’t the club’s decision,’ he said, ‘for reasons I can’t speak about legally’.

Enzo Maresca looks set to take over as Man City boss from Pep Guardiola

Guardiola, Erling Haaland and Maresca are pictured together while the Italian was at Chelsea

Perhaps tellingly, Eghbali added: ‘I think the reasons will become kind of clear in due course. But no, it’s not a change we wanted to make. It’s a change that’s had a bit of a negative impact on the season, when you’re changing systems and personnel. And it’s one we’ve got to fight our way out of.’

Maresca left Chelsea on January 2 with his position viewed as untenable after he skipped post-match media duties following a draw with Bournemouth.

The club has been in second place before a run of poor results that preceded his departure.

Replacement Liam Rosenior was unable to turn things around and the club now has a caretaker manager in charge for the remainder of what has been a deeply disappointing campaign.

Before joining Leicester City, Maresca was City’s Under 23s coach and then first team assistant to Guardiola in 2022-23.

After guiding the Foxes to the Championship he won the UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup while at Chelsea.

His relationship with the club, however, deteriorated. This newspaper revealed Chelsea bosses had taken the extraordinary measure of placing a member of medical staff on the bench during games to ensure Maresca took players who were returning from injury off at pre-agreed times.

Alarm bells had initially sounding after December’s win against Everton, when Maresca described the preceeding 48 hours as his ‘worst’ at Chelsea due to a lack of ‘support’.

Maresca was previously part of Guardiola’s backroom staff at the Etihad Stadium

He later refused to clarify the comments, which were revealed as aimed at the medical team guidelines, with acrimony bubbling as the Blues’ form worsened.

Speculation had been rife that Maresca would eventually become Guardiola’s successor due to their spell working together, even during his time in the Chelsea dugout.

As reports emerged days after the Everton victory in December that Guardiola was considering leaving at the end of the season, Maresca was keen to stress that he did not ‘pay attention’ to the links.

‘I’m focused on the Newcastle game,’ Maresca said at the time. ‘I’m focused on my job.

‘Again, I signed a contract last year until 2029. I’m happy with that, and no more than that.

‘It doesn’t affect me at all because I know that is 100 per cent speculation. In this moment, there is no time for these kind of things. First of all, because I have a contract here until 2029 probably. My focus is just about this club and I’m very proud to be here. Again, it’s speculation.’

But such speculation was only inflamed by a change of personnel in Maresca’s camp, with the Italian choosing to be represented by super-agent Jorge Mendes in the wake of winning the Club World Cup.

City are to host a parade this weekend on Monday, at which fans are expected to be given the opportunity to say farewell to Guardiola, who has won 17 major trophies during a decade of dominance at the Etihad Stadium.

His side head to Bournemouth tonight knowing that anything other than victory would hand the title to rivals Arsenal.