New manager Enzo Maresca is a “perfect one” for Manchester City, says defender Josko Gvardiol.
The Italian has been given the perhaps unenviable task of taking over from the legendary Pep Guardiola, who stepped down at the end of last season after a trophy-laden decade in charge.
Maresca signed a three-year deal to succeed the Spaniard, having previously won the Championship title with Leicester and the Club World Cup with Chelsea.
The 46-year-old took charge of City for the first time in Saturday’s friendly defeat on penalties by Inter Milan in Hong Kong.
“The level is that high and he has been chosen with reason as the manager,” said Gvardiol.
“I think he has a quality, has some new ideas and also 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.
“I think he is a perfect one, but of course, it takes time. It’s something totally new, it’s not easy to change the manager, so we will take time.
“It’s our job to help him as much as possible and also to listen to try to adapt as quick as possible.
“I met him, we spoke a little bit about my injury [and] also how we played, how I played before with Pep, and that’s it, more or less.”