Blues Manager Maresca Dismisses Man City Links as Pure Rumour

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

The 45-year-old, who once served as Pep Guardiola's assistant at the Etihad, addressed the ongoing speculation surrounding his future.

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

"It doesn't affect me at all because I know that is 100% speculation," Maresca said. "And at this moment, there is little room for these kind of things."

He further elaborated, "First of all, because I have a contract here for several more years. And my attention, I have stated many times, is solely on this club and I'm honoured to be here. But again, it's speculation. One week ago I was linked with a role in Italy with Juventus. So I ignore it because I know that is not true."

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

Strain Following Recent Remarks

Maresca's latest comments follow after he described a previous two-day spell as his most difficult since joining Chelsea.

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

When pressed if he had since spoken with the Chelsea's sporting directors, Maresca responded, "We are in the same building, so we talk about different things. But about the Everton media session, no."

The manager however affirmed he would "absolutely" remain at the club for the coming campaign and urged supporters to "continue to support the team".

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

Analysis: An 'Open Wound'

The perceived disconnect between Maresca and the club's hierarchy remains as an unhealed issue that still cause concern.

While there has been no deepening of the situation publicly, there has equally been no apology forthcoming, creating the disagreement unaddressed.

The atmosphere during the manager's press conferences has become notably awkward, raising concerns it could undermine what has up to now been a decent beginning to the season.

Chelsea's on-field situation is positive: they are in the top four in the Premier League, have reached the Carabao Cup semi-finals, and can achieve a favourable Champions League draw with good performances in their final games.

The lingering uncertainty is whether this behind-the-scenes situation might eventually affect a team that was just starting to appear cohesive.