Chelsea gaffer Enzo Maresca has branded recent talk connecting him with a move to Manchester City as nothing but hearsay.
The Italian manager, who once served as Pep Guardiola's assistant in Manchester, responded to the ongoing rumours about his next move.
Maresca, appointed Chelsea boss in June 2024, is under contract running until 2029, with a possible extra year option.
"It doesn't affect me at all because I know that is 100% speculation," Maresca said. "And at this moment, there is no time for such distractions."
He went on to explain, Primarily, because I have a contract here for several more years. And my attention, I have stated many times, is just about this club and I'm very proud to be here. But again, it's speculation. One week ago I was linked with a role in Italy with Juventus. So I don't pay attention because I know that is without foundation."
Chelsea, currently sitting fourth in the Premier League, are scheduled to face Newcastle United this Saturday in a 12:30 GMT fixture.
Maresca's most recent comments follow after he described a recent two-day spell as his most difficult since joining Chelsea.
Those initial words had fueled considerable talk of a potential rift between the coach and the club's key decision-makers.
When pressed if he had since spoken with the Chelsea's sporting directors, Maresca responded, "We are in the same facility, so we talk about various topics. But about the post-Everton press conference, no."
The manager did confirm he would definitely remain at the club for the coming campaign and called on the fans to "continue to support the team".
In brighter news, Maresca revealed that sidelined attackers Liam Delap and Estevao Willian could be back ahead of schedule, possibly in contention for a fixture against Aston Villa on 27 December.
The apparent disconnect between Maresca and the club's hierarchy persists as an unhealed issue that still cause concern.
While there has been no deepening of the situation publicly, there has also been no apology forthcoming, creating the matter unresolved.
The atmosphere during the manager's press conferences has grown increasingly strained, leading to fears it could impact what has otherwise been a decent start to the campaign.
Chelsea's on-field situation is positive: they are fourth in the league, have qualified for the League Cup last four, and can achieve a favourable European position with strong results in their remaining games.
The lingering uncertainty is whether this off-field situation might eventually affect a squad that was just starting to appear cohesive.
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