Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has dismissed recent reports linking him to Manchester City, labeling them as "100 percent speculation". The Italian coach, who is currently under contract with Chelsea until 2029, affirmed his commitment to the club and brushed aside rumors suggesting he could be a potential replacement for Pep Guardiola at City.

Maresca's name had surfaced in connection with the City job due to his previous experience within the club's setup. He served as the U23 coach and also as an assistant to Guardiola during City's treble-winning season in 2022-23. This familiarity with City's structure and his tactical approach, which aligns with Guardiola's positional play principles, led to speculation about him being a potential successor.

However, Maresca has firmly stated that he is not paying attention to the rumors and is fully focused on his role at Chelsea. Speaking at a pre-match press conference on Friday, ahead of Chelsea's away game against Newcastle United, Maresca addressed the speculation directly. "It doesn't affect me at all," he said. "I know that it is 100% speculation and in this moment, there is no time for these things".

Maresca emphasized his long-term contract with Chelsea, stating, "I have a contract here until 2029 and my focus is about this club. I'm very proud to be here". He also pointed out that similar rumors had linked him with Juventus a week prior, further illustrating his dismissal of such speculation. "One week ago, it was the same with Juventus so I don't pay attention," Maresca stated.

While acknowledging the possible reasons behind the emergence of these reports, Maresca reiterated that it is not his concern. "It's important to understand the reason why this news was there, but it's not my job. I don't care at all and the focus is on the Newcastle game," he said. When questioned further about whether he would remain Chelsea's manager beyond the current season, Maresca responded, "Absolutely yes, I have a contract until 2029. I don't pay attention [to rumours]".

The Chelsea manager also highlighted the club's recent achievements, noting, "We achieved yesterday the third semi-final in 18 months. We finished fourth last season...". This suggests that Maresca is content with his current position and is committed to building on the progress made at Chelsea.

Despite the links to Manchester City, Chelsea are reportedly not looking to let go of Maresca and remain focused on the current season. However, there are reports of internal tensions within Chelsea, possibly highlighted by Maresca's comments after the Everton game. It has also been mentioned that Maresca felt unsupported after the defeat to Atalanta in the Champions League earlier this month. Furthermore, Maresca changed agents to Jorge Mendes in the autumn, who has a good relationship with Man City's sporting director Hugo Viana.

For now, Maresca's focus remains firmly on Chelsea and their upcoming challenges. His immediate priority is the game against Newcastle, as he looks to continue Chelsea's positive momentum.