Chelsea Manager Maresca Dismisses Man City Speculation as '100%' Rumour

Chelsea gaffer Enzo Maresca has branded fresh 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 persistent rumours about his next move.

Maresca, named Chelsea manager in the summer of 2024, has a contract running until 2029, with a potential extension option.

"It doesn't bother 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 until 2029. 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 connected to Juventus in Italy. So I ignore it because I know that is without foundation."

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

Strain After Recent Remarks

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

Those original remarks had sparked widespread speculation of a possible rift between the coach and the club's ownership hierarchy.

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

The manager did confirm he would definitely remain at the club next season and called on the fans to "continue to support the team".

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

Perspective: An 'Open Wound'

The apparent strain between Maresca and the Chelsea board remains as an open wound that still create unease.

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

The atmosphere during the manager's press conferences has grown notably awkward, leading to concerns it could impact what has up to now been a decent start to the season.

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

The prevailing uncertainty is whether this off-field dynamic might begin to disrupt a team that was beginning to look cohesive.