Chelsea Boss Maresca Rejects Manchester City Speculation as Pure Rumour

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

The 45-year-old, who previously worked as Pep Guardiola's assistant in Manchester, responded to the ongoing speculation surrounding his future.

Maresca, named Chelsea manager in June 2024, is under contract running through the end of the decade, 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 no time for such distractions."

He further elaborated, "First of all, because I have a contract here for several more years. And my focus, I said many times, is solely on 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, presently placed fourth in the Premier League, are scheduled to face Newcastle United this Saturday in a lunchtime fixture.

Tensions After Previous Remarks

Maresca's latest comments come in the wake of he referred to a previous two-day spell as his "worst" since joining Chelsea.

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

When asked if he had since spoken with the Chelsea's sporting directors, Maresca replied, "We are in the same building, so we speak about various topics. But about the Everton media session, no."

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

In more positive news, Maresca revealed that injured forwards Liam Delap and Estevao Willian could return sooner than expected, potentially in contention for a match against Aston Villa on 27 December.

Perspective: Unresolved Tension

The perceived strain between Maresca and the Chelsea board remains as an open wound that still cause concern.

While there has been no further escalation of the matter publicly, there has equally been no resolution forthcoming, leaving the disagreement unaddressed.

The atmosphere during the manager's media briefings has become increasingly strained, raising fears it could impact what has up to now been a decent start to the campaign.

Chelsea's sporting position is strong: they are in the top four in the league, have qualified for the Carabao Cup last four, and can achieve a favourable European position with strong results in their final games.

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