Chelsea gaffer Enzo Maresca has labelled recent talk linking him with a move to Manchester City as nothing but hearsay.
The Italian manager, who once served as Pep Guardiola's assistant at the Etihad, responded to the ongoing speculation surrounding 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 possible extra year available.
"It doesn't affect me at all because I know that is completely unfounded," Maresca stated. "And at this moment, there is little room for such distractions."
He further elaborated, Primarily, because I have a contract here until 2029. And my attention, I said many times, is just about this club and I'm very proud to be here. But again, it's rumour. One week ago I was linked with Juventus in Italy. So I don't pay attention because I know that is without foundation."
Chelsea, currently sitting fourth in the top flight, are scheduled to face Newcastle United this Saturday in a lunchtime kick-off.
Tensions Following Previous Remarks
Maresca's latest statement come in the wake of he referred to a previous 48-hour period as his "worst" since joining Chelsea.
Those initial words had sparked widespread speculation of a potential disagreement between the coach and the club's ownership hierarchy.
When pressed if he had discussed matters with the Chelsea'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 Italian however affirmed he would definitely remain at the club for the coming campaign and urged the fans to "continue to support the team".
In more positive news, Maresca revealed that sidelined forwards Liam Delap and Estevao Willian could return ahead of schedule, possibly in contention for a fixture against Aston Villa on 27 December.
Analysis: Unresolved Tension
The apparent strain 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 situation in the open, there has also been no apology offered, creating the disagreement unresolved.
The atmosphere during these press conferences has grown notably awkward, raising concerns it could impact what has up to now been a promising start to the campaign.
Chelsea's on-field situation is strong: they are fourth in the Premier League, have qualified for the Carabao Cup semi-finals, and can achieve a favourable Champions League draw with strong results in their final games.
The prevailing uncertainty is whether this off-field dynamic might begin to disrupt a squad that was just starting to look settled.
