Fabrizio Romano comments on Chelsea links to £9m-a-year Thomas Tuchel

Chelsea are being linked with a potential swoop for ex-boss Thomas Tuchel, and reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano has now commented on the story.

Tuchel eyeing shock return to Chelsea

The Bayern Munich boss is confirmed to be leaving Bavaria this summer, with much being made on his next potential landing spot.

Tuchel’s highly decorated managerial resume not only makes him an enticing candidate to replace Mauricio Pochettino, who is under constant pressure, but the former has also already proved successful at Chelsea.

The former PSG boss guided them to a Champions League title in 2021 at the expense of Pep Guardiola’s Man City, and it is believed that Tuchel is eyeing a return to England after his Bayern spell ends.

As reported by Sky journalist Florian Plettenberg, Tuchel, who Ben Chilwell called “unbelievable”, has Chelsea in his sights despite the unceremonious end to his tenure at Stamford Bridge. Club chiefs sought to replace Tuchel with Graham Potter near the end of 2022, an appointment which proved disastrous.

“It was a kind of shock,” said Tuchel on his Chelsea sacking. “I felt it, strangely enough, in the morning when I drove to the training centre that the meeting we would have would be an unusual meeting, and it was a short meeting. It was three to five minutes. I was also not in the mood to talk longer to the decision-makers, I have to say.

“It was a shock for all of us. We had the feeling we were in the right spot at the right time to achieve big things, to build, to stay longer. We had big relationships within the staff. It still hurts in a way to not see these people on a daily basis.”

It’s interesting that reliable sources indicate that Tuchel would be willing to work under Clearlake Capital again, with Romano now sharing an update of his own.

Speaking to Caught Offside, Romano says a Chelsea return for Tuchel wouldn’t be easy due to the soured relationship when the £9m-a-year boss left the first time.

“I’m aware there have also been some reports about Thomas Tuchel potentially looking to return to Chelsea once he leaves his position as Bayern Munich manager at the end of this season,” said Romano.

“We know Tuchel will be looking for a new club, but for now I have nothing concrete on a move back to Chelsea. I haven’t heard anything about this and don’t like to guess too much, but what I can say is that for sure it was not an ‘easy’ separation between Tuchel and Chelsea when he left in 2022. So it seems like coming back would also not be easy.”