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Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said Friday that reports linking him to the Manchester City manager’s job were “100 per cent” speculation, promising that he would still be at Chelsea next season.
The Italian said last weekend that he had suffered his “worst 48 hours” since joining the club in July last year.
Maresca made the surprising comments after his side’s 2-0 home win over Everton, hitting out at unnamed parties for failing to support him and his players, though he stressed he was not referring to fans. The remarks fuelled intense speculation that he was aiming at the club’s owners and sporting directors.
But Maresca brushed it aside at his press conference on the eve of Chelsea’s Premier League match at Newcastle.
“It doesn’t affect me at all because I know that is 100 per cent speculation,” he said
“And in this moment, there is no time for these kinds of things. First of all, because I have a contract here until 2029. And my focus, I said many times, that is just about this club and I’m very proud to be here.”
Maresca was unequivocal when pressed over whether he would make a promise to fans that he would still be at Stamford Bridge next season.
“Absolutely, yes,” he said. “Again, I have a contract until 2029 and this is speculation 100 percent.
“So I don’t have nothing to add because, again, I don’t pay attention and if we continue to talk about that, that means that I’m paying attention to that.”
Maresca, who arrived at Chelsea in July 2024, won the UEFA Conference League and Club World Cup in his first season at Stamford Bridge.
His team are fourth in the Premier League table and can qualify automatically for the last 16 of the Champions League.
On Tuesday, they beat third-tier Cardiff to progress to the League Cup semi-finals, where they will face either Arsenal or Crystal Palace.
