Blues Boss Maresca Dismisses Man City Speculation as '100%' Gossip

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has labelled recent reports connecting him with a return to Manchester City as "100% speculation".

The 45-year-old, who once served as Pep Guardiola's right-hand man at the Etihad, addressed the persistent speculation about his next move.

Maresca, appointed Chelsea manager in the summer of 2024, has a contract that runs through the end of the decade, with a potential 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 until 2029. And my focus, 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 a role in Italy with Juventus. So I ignore it because I know that is not true."

Chelsea, presently placed in fourth position in the top flight, are set to face Newcastle United on Saturday in a lunchtime fixture.

Strain After Recent Remarks

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

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

When pressed if he had since spoken with the club's leadership, Maresca responded, "We are in the same building, so we speak about various topics. But about the post-Everton media session, no."

The Italian did confirm he would definitely stay at the club next season and urged the fans to "continue to support the team".

In brighter news, Maresca revealed that sidelined forwards Liam Delap and Estevao Willian could return ahead of schedule, potentially in contention for a fixture against Aston Villa later this month.

Perspective: Unresolved Tension

The apparent strain between Maresca and the Chelsea board persists as an unhealed issue that still create unease.

While there has been no deepening of the matter publicly, there has equally been no apology offered, creating the matter unresolved.

The mood during these press conferences has grown notably strained, raising fears it could impact what has otherwise been a decent start to the season.

Chelsea's sporting position is strong: they are fourth in the Premier League, have reached the League Cup semi-finals, and can secure a favourable Champions League draw with strong results in their final matches.

The lingering question is whether this behind-the-scenes situation might begin to disrupt a team that was just starting to look settled.