Josko Gvardiol has given a ringing endorsement of new Manchester City head coach Enzo Maresca, declaring him a "perfect one" for the club as the post-Pep Guardiola era gets under way.

Maresca signed a three-year contract to take charge at the Etihad Stadium, succeeding the legendary Guardiola, who stepped down at the close of last season after a decade of unprecedented success. The 46-year-old arrives with a strong track record, having guided Leicester to the Championship title and claimed the Club World Cup with Chelsea.

He took the reins for the first time on Saturday, when Manchester City lost on penalties to Inter Milan in a pre-season friendly in Hong Kong.

Gvardiol's verdict on the new manager

"The level is that high and he has been chosen with reason as the manager," said Gvardiol. "I think he has quality, has some new ideas, and we need to see what we are going to do with the style of play, the football we are going to play, and the tactics."

The Croatian defender acknowledged that the transition will take time, stressing that the squad must play their part. "It is our job to help him as much as possible and also to listen, to try to adapt as quickly as possible," he added.

Gvardiol also revealed that the pair had already spoken about his injury recovery and his previous role under Guardiola.

Players sensed Guardiola's departure was coming

Gvardiol missed five months of last season after sustaining a broken bone in his right leg in January, returning for two appearances in May. He reflected candidly on how the squad processed Guardiola's exit.

"Some would say he could have told us earlier, some would say not," Gvardiol said. "I think it was perfect timing because it can affect you mentally if he would have said it earlier. We knew at some point he had to tell us — he has been here for 10 years and it is time to rest. We could feel it."

He recalled a turbulent 2024-25 campaign during which City went 13 games without a win, and admitted that Guardiola's future had felt uncertain for some time before the announcement was finally made in the final week of the season.

Dias the frontrunner for the armband

Off the pitch, City face a leadership reshuffle. Bernardo Silva departed for Real Madrid when his contract expired, while experienced defender John Stones joined Inter on a free transfer. Both Ruben Dias and Rodri — who captained Spain to World Cup glory this summer — are considered candidates for the armband.

Gvardiol himself featured in all four of Croatia's matches at the World Cup, a tournament that ended in heartbreak at the last-32 stage when a late equaliser against Portugal was ruled out by VAR.

Having committed his own future to City by signing a new five-year deal last week, Gvardiol indicated that Dias would likely emerge as the club's primary leader. "Ruben is one of the leaders in our team and he is probably going to be on the top now — maybe the most important one," he said. "He will need some guys who have been here for a longer time. So if that is on me, I will take responsibility."