News Beat
Enzo Maresca makes statement on Chelsea future with Man City circling over possibly replacing Pep Guardiola
ENZO MARESCA says he will be at Chelsea next season, playing down links with Manchester City.
Maresca, 45, claimed reports that he is being considered by his former club as a replacement for Pep Guardiola as “speculation”.
The Italian also suggested there could be a deeper reason for reports coming out after his thinly veiled dig at his Blues bosses.
Asked if he could promise fans he would still be in post next season, Maresca said: “Absolutely, yes.
“Again, I have a contract until 2029, and this is speculation 100 per cent.
“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.
“It doesn’t affect me at all because I know that is 100 per cent speculation.
“In this moment, there is no time for these kind of things. First of all, because I have a contract here until 2029, probably.
“My focus, I said many times, is just about this club and I’m very proud to be here. But again, it’s speculation.
“One week ago it was in Italy, the same with Juventus. So I don’t pay attention because I know that is not true.
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“It’s important to understand the reason why this news was there. But it’s not my job, I don’t care at all. But again, it’s just a speculation.”
Maresca added that, while he has spoken to the sporting directors this week, none of them have discussed his incendiary comments about a “lack of support” and the “worst 48 hours” of his tenure post-Everton last weekend.
He added: “Have we spoken? Yes, we are in the same building.
“So we speak about different things. But about the Everton press conference, no.”
Chelsea travel to Newcastle without winger Estevao Willian, who missed the midweek win over Cardiff with a muscle injury.
Both he and Liam Delap, absent with a shoulder injury, could return to face Aston Villa on December 27.
