Thomas Tuchel will NOT replace Mauricio Pochettino as Kieran McKenna, Eddie Howe and Roberto De Zerbi admired by Chelsea

05/21/2024 05:02 PM

Chelsea have no plans to reappoint Thomas Tuchel as manager after Mauricio Pochettino’s departure, talkSPORT understands.

Champions League winner Tuchel is keen to get back to the Premier League and would entertain a return to Stamford Bridge, but that sentiment is not shared by the Blues hierarchy.

He won the Champions League with the Blues back in 2021 and led them to two FA Cup finals, but was sacked by Todd Boehly and co in September 2022.

This season, the German oversaw Bayern Munich‘s third place finish in the Bundesliga, ending their run of 11 consecutive league triumphs.

Chelsea do however admire Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna given they want to recruit a younger coach.

talkSPORT understands Brighton are the front-runners for his signature, though, with the Seagulls looking for a replacement for now-departed boss Roberto De Zerbi.

De Zerbi had two years left on his deal on the south coast but shocked fans by deciding to cut his time there short, with the club announcing his decision one the eve of the end of the season.

Chelsea’s Boehly and Behdad Eghbali have historic interest in the Italian.

However, the Blues would still have to pay Brighton compensation to bring him on board even though he left at the end of the season.

The Seagulls previously received in excess of £21million in compensation from the Blues when they lured Graham Potter and his staff away from the AMEX in 2022.

Blues chiefs Boehly and Eghbali also admire Newcastle boss Eddie Howe and Stuttgart’s Sebastian Hoeness, with the latter leading his side to finish second in the Bundesliga this season.

Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim is on their list too, but is unlikely to be interested in a move to Stamford Bridge having rejected their advances last summer.

Sources close to him say he is unlikely to want the job.

Brentford’s Thomas Frank also fits Chelsea’s criteria.

The Blues confirmed Pochettino had left the club by mutual consent in a shock announcement on Tuesday evening.

Terminating Pochettino’s deal a year early will cost Chelsea around £3m and the players are saddened by his exit following a tense two-day performance review with Boehly and Eghbali.

Pochettino wanted an extension to his contract and a greater say in recruitment, both of which Boehly and Egbhali were reluctant to agree to.