Chelsea Manager Maresca Rejects Man City Speculation as '100%' Gossip
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has labelled recent talk connecting him with a return to Manchester City as "100% speculation".
The 45-year-old, who once served as Pep Guardiola's assistant at the Etihad, addressed the ongoing 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 potential extension option.
"It doesn't affect me at all because I know that is completely unfounded," Maresca stated. "And at this moment, there is little room for these kind of things."
He went on to explain, Primarily, because I have a contract here for several more years. And my attention, I have stated many times, is just about this club and I'm very proud to be here. But again, it's speculation. One week ago I was connected to a role in Italy with Juventus. So I don't pay attention because I know that is not true."
Chelsea, currently sitting in fourth position in the Premier League, are set to face Newcastle United on Saturday in a lunchtime fixture.
Tensions Following Recent Comments
Maresca's latest comments follow in the wake of he referred to a previous 48-hour period as his "worst" since arriving at Chelsea.
Those initial words had fueled widespread talk of a potential rift between the coach and the club's key decision-makers.
When pressed if he had discussed matters with the Chelsea's leadership, Maresca responded, "We are in the same facility, so we talk about different things. But about the Everton media session, no."
The manager did confirm he would definitely stay at the club next season and urged the fans to "continue to support the team".
In brighter news, Maresca indicated that sidelined forwards Liam Delap and Estevao Willian could return ahead of schedule, possibly in contention for a match against Aston Villa on 27 December.
Perspective: Unresolved Tension
The perceived strain between Maresca and the Chelsea board persists as an unhealed issue that continues to create unease.
While there has been no further escalation of the matter in the open, there has also been no resolution forthcoming, creating the disagreement unaddressed.
The mood during the manager's media briefings has grown notably strained, leading to fears it could impact what has otherwise been a decent start to the season.
Chelsea's on-field position is positive: they are fourth in the Premier League, have reached the Carabao Cup semi-finals, and can achieve a favourable Champions League position with strong results in their final games.
The prevailing uncertainty is whether this off-field situation might begin to disrupt a team that was just starting to appear cohesive.