Thomas Tuchel is set to leave Bayern Munich at the end of the season, a year before his contract’s original expiry date. Despite his underwhelming spell at Allianz Arena, the former Chelsea manager hopes to land a summer move back to the Premier League.
Tuchel Is Eager to Finish His Premier League Project
A Mixed Spell at Chelsea
The Blues appointed Tuchel as Frank Lampard’s replacement, hoping to bounce back from a disastrous start to the 2020/21 season. The German boss exceeded all expectations by leading them to the FA Cup and Champions League finals, winning the latter with a 1-0 victory against Manchester City.
Tuchel’s contract was extended until 2024 during the summer transfer window. But his strained relationship with club owner Todd Boehly eventually led to his dismissal only seven games into the 2022/23 campaign.
Despite its abrupt ending, the 20-month tenure was enough to make the former Paris Saint-Germain boss a fan-favourite at Stamford Bridge.
Tuchel Has Two Favourite Premier League Jobs
Chelsea’s poor performances under Mauricio Pochettino have intensified rumours about his possible departure in the summer. Alongside the likes of Roberto De Zerbi and Zinedine Zidane, the club’s last Champions League-winning coach has also appeared on Boehly’s short-list to replace Pochettino.
According to Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, Tuchel doesn’t rule out a move back to Stamford Bridge in the summer. The German boss is also open to accepting a potential offer from Manchester United as he prioritizes a return to the Premier League.
In addition to the two Premier League giants, Tuchel is also linked with the vacant managerial job at Barcelona. The Catalans have already started their search for Xavi Hernandez’s replacement. But as of now, Hansi Flick is the leading candidate to take charge at Camp Nou.
A Surprise U-Turn at Bayern Munich?
Bayern announced Tuchel’s pending departure three days after their shocking defeat against Bochum on February 18. Since then, the Bavarians have slipped ten points behind Bayer Leverkusen, who are marching toward their first-ever Bundesliga title under Xabi Alonso.
Having already crashed out of the DFB-Pokal, Bayern’s only chance to ending the season with a trophy is to win the Champions League. The 3-0 victory against Lazio was a relief for the Bavarians as they reached the quarter-finals on the back of an excellent attacking display.
Speaking to the media after the match against Lazio, Bayern president Herbert Hainer said of Tuchel (via iMiaSanMia): “He is a great coach. He is very focused and relieved that we have clarity for everyone. Everyone knows where we stand. We want to finish the season with him.”
Given the 50-year-old’s unexpected Champions League win with Chelsea, can a similar achievement convince Bayern’s hierarchy to keep him at the club?
The Bavarians are pushing hard to complete a move for Xabi Alonso at the moment. However, competition from Liverpool and Real Madrid could force the club to consider other options at the end of the season.
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