Chelsea Manager Maresca Dismisses Man City Links as Pure Gossip

Chelsea gaffer Enzo Maresca has labelled fresh reports linking him with a return to Manchester City as nothing but hearsay.

The 45-year-old, who once served as Pep Guardiola's assistant at the Etihad, responded to the ongoing rumours about his future.

Maresca, appointed Chelsea boss in the summer of 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 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 rumour. One week ago I was connected to a role in Italy with Juventus. So I don't pay attention because I know that is not true."

Chelsea, presently placed in fourth position in the top flight, are scheduled to face Newcastle United this Saturday in a lunchtime kick-off.

Tensions Following Previous Remarks

Maresca's latest comments come after he referred to a recent 48-hour period as his most difficult since arriving at Chelsea.

Those initial words had fueled considerable talk of a possible rift between the manager and the club's ownership hierarchy.

When asked if he had discussed matters with the club's leadership, Maresca responded, "We are in the same facility, so we talk about different things. But about the post-Everton press conference, no."

The manager however affirmed he would definitely remain at the club for the coming campaign and called on supporters to keep backing the team".

In brighter news, Maresca revealed that injured attackers Liam Delap and Estevao Willian could be back sooner than expected, potentially in contention for a match against Aston Villa on 27 December.

Perspective: An 'Open Wound'

The perceived disconnect between Maresca and the club's hierarchy persists as an unhealed issue that continues to cause concern.

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

The atmosphere during these press conferences has grown notably strained, leading to fears it could undermine what has otherwise been a decent start to the campaign.

Chelsea's sporting situation is strong: they are fourth in the league, have qualified for the Carabao Cup semi-finals, and can achieve a favourable European draw with strong results in their final games.

The lingering uncertainty is whether this behind-the-scenes dynamic might eventually disrupt a team that was beginning to look cohesive.