Enzo Maresca had Chelsea's blessing to hold talks with Manchester City as early as October last year, though the permission came with a clear string attached: he would finish the season at Stamford Bridge first.

The detail, reported by The Telegraph's Matt Law and James Ducker, adds fresh texture to a saga that finally reached its conclusion on Monday when Maresca was confirmed as Pep Guardiola's successor.

Both clubs had already issued statements acknowledging that conversations took place while Maresca was still Chelsea head coach. City confirmed confidential discussions occurred across autumn and winter of 2025. Chelsea revealed they were informed last autumn of a possible opportunity for Maresca to take over in Manchester.

What had been described in broad terms now has a sharper chronology.

According to the report, Maresca informed Chelsea of his interest in succeeding Guardiola in October 2025. The club granted him permission to speak to City — but explicitly on the understanding he would complete the 2025-26 season in London before any move materialised.

That suggests Chelsea's initial position was conditional cooperation rather than outright resistance. They seemed willing to facilitate a path to City provided Maresca honoured his commitments at Stamford Bridge.

The arrangement fell apart when Maresca resigned abruptly on 1 January 2026. Chelsea's own statement described feeling let down, having believed his focus remained at Stamford Bridge despite having only arrived the year before.

The revelation that permission was granted as early as October complicates the picture Chelsea painted in their statement. That statement emphasised the disruption of a mid-season departure without fully detailing how early the club itself had sanctioned contact between the parties.

For City, the timeline lends credibility to their version of events. Their statement framed Maresca as a long-standing candidate within the club's succession planning rather than an opportunistic late move, with director of football Hugo Viana having viewed the Italian's return as a considered process.

Whether further details of those October conversations emerge remains to be seen. For now, with Maresca settled at the Etihad and a compensation package of around £17 million agreed between the clubs, the saga has run its course.