Blues Manager Maresca Dismisses Man City Speculation as Pure Gossip

Chelsea gaffer Enzo Maresca has labelled fresh talk connecting him with a return to Manchester City as "100% speculation".

The Italian manager, who once served as Pep Guardiola's assistant at the Etihad, addressed the persistent rumours surrounding his future.

Maresca, appointed Chelsea boss in June 2024, is under contract running until 2029, with a possible extra year available.

"It doesn't bother me at all because I know that is completely unfounded," Maresca said. "And at this moment, there is little room for these kind of things."

He further elaborated, Primarily, because I have a contract here until 2029. And my focus, I have stated many times, is just about this club and I'm honoured to be here. But again, it's rumour. One week ago I was connected to Juventus in Italy. So I ignore it because I know that is not true."

Chelsea, currently sitting in fourth position in the top flight, are set to face Newcastle United on Saturday in a lunchtime kick-off.

Tensions After Previous Remarks

Maresca's latest comments come after he referred to a previous 48-hour period as his "worst" since arriving at Chelsea.

Those initial remarks had sparked considerable talk of a potential rift between the manager and the club's key decision-makers.

When pressed if he had discussed matters with the club's leadership, Maresca replied, "We are in the same facility, so we speak about different things. But about the post-Everton press conference, no."

The Italian did confirm he would definitely remain at the club for the coming campaign and called on supporters to keep backing the team".

In brighter news, Maresca indicated that sidelined attackers Liam Delap and Estevao Willian could return sooner than expected, possibly available for a fixture against Aston Villa later this month.

Analysis: An 'Open Wound'

The perceived disconnect between Maresca and the Chelsea board remains as an open wound that continues to cause concern.

While there has been no deepening of the situation in the open, there has equally been no resolution forthcoming, creating the disagreement unaddressed.

The mood during these media briefings has grown notably awkward, leading to concerns it could impact what has otherwise been a decent start to the season.

Chelsea's on-field position is strong: they are in the top four in the league, have reached the League Cup semi-finals, and can achieve a favourable Champions League position with strong results in their final matches.

The lingering uncertainty is whether this behind-the-scenes dynamic might eventually affect a team that was just starting to look settled.