Chelsea Manager Maresca Dismisses Man City Speculation as '100%' Rumour

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has labelled recent reports connecting him with a move to Manchester City as nothing but hearsay.

The 45-year-old, who previously worked as Pep Guardiola's assistant at the Etihad, addressed the persistent speculation about his next move.

Maresca, named Chelsea manager in June 2024, is under contract that runs through the end of the decade, with a possible extension option.

"It doesn't bother me at all because I know that is 100% speculation," Maresca stated. "And at this moment, there is no time for such distractions."

He further elaborated, "First of all, because I have a contract here until 2029. And my focus, I said many times, is solely on this club and I'm very proud to be here. But again, it's speculation. One week ago I was linked with Juventus in Italy. So I don't pay attention because I know that is not true."

Chelsea, currently sitting in fourth position in the top flight, are set to face Newcastle United this Saturday in a 12:30 GMT fixture.

Strain After Recent Remarks

Maresca's most recent comments follow in the wake of he referred to a previous 48-hour period as his "worst" since joining Chelsea.

Those initial remarks had fueled considerable speculation of a possible disagreement between the coach and the club's ownership hierarchy.

When asked if he had since spoken with the club's leadership, Maresca responded, "We are in the same building, so we talk about various topics. But about the post-Everton media session, no."

The manager did confirm he would "absolutely" stay at the club for the coming campaign and urged the fans to "continue to support the team".

In more positive news, Maresca revealed that injured attackers Liam Delap and Estevao Willian could return ahead of schedule, potentially in contention for a match against Aston Villa on 27 December.

Perspective: An 'Open Wound'

The apparent strain between Maresca and the club's hierarchy remains as an unhealed issue that continues to cause concern.

While there has been no further escalation of the situation publicly, there has equally been no resolution offered, creating the disagreement unaddressed.

The atmosphere during these media briefings has grown increasingly strained, leading to concerns it could undermine what has up to now been a promising start to the season.

Chelsea's on-field situation is strong: they are fourth in the Premier League, have qualified for the League Cup last four, and can secure a favourable Champions League draw with strong performances in their final matches.

The prevailing question is whether this off-field situation might begin to disrupt a squad that was just starting to look settled.