Blues Manager Maresca Rejects Manchester City Speculation as '100%' Rumour

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has labelled fresh talk connecting him with a return to Manchester City as nothing but hearsay.

The 45-year-old, who once served as Pep Guardiola's right-hand man in Manchester, addressed the ongoing speculation surrounding his future.

Maresca, appointed Chelsea boss in the summer of 2024, has a contract that runs until 2029, with a possible extra year option.

"It doesn't affect 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 went on to explain, "First of all, because I have a contract here for several more years. And my attention, I said many times, is solely on this club and I'm very proud to be here. But again, it's rumour. One week ago I was linked with a role in Italy with Juventus. So I ignore it because I know that is without foundation."

Chelsea, currently sitting fourth in the Premier League, are set to face Newcastle United this Saturday in a lunchtime kick-off.

Strain After Recent Comments

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

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

When pressed if he had discussed matters with the Chelsea's leadership, Maresca responded, "We are in the same building, so we talk about different things. But about the Everton press conference, no."

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

In brighter news, Maresca revealed that injured forwards Liam Delap and Estevao Willian could be back ahead of schedule, potentially available for a match against Aston Villa on 27 December.

Analysis: Unresolved Tension

The perceived strain between Maresca and the club's hierarchy persists as an unhealed issue that continues to create unease.

While there has been no deepening of the situation in the open, there has also been no apology forthcoming, leaving the disagreement unresolved.

The atmosphere during the manager's media briefings has grown increasingly strained, raising fears it could impact what has otherwise been a decent start to the season.

Chelsea's sporting situation is positive: they are fourth in the Premier League, have qualified for the League Cup semi-finals, and can achieve a favourable Champions League draw with good performances in their final matches.

The lingering uncertainty is whether this off-field situation might eventually affect a team that was just starting to look settled.