Chelsea are keeping an eye on manager Julian Nagelsmann should they decide to part ways with Graham Potter in the summer, according to reports.
The Lowdown: The story so far
The Blues boss has been under huge amounts of pressure in recent months due to his side’s poor run of form, but the 2-1 Champions League aggregate victory over Borussia Dortmund was the turning point to relieve the threat of the sack.
During the period of uncertainty, Todd Boehly reportedly made contact with Mauricio Pochettino and was claimed to be an admirer of both Zinedine Zidane and Roberto De Zerbi but ended up putting his faith in the 47-year-old to turn things around.
Nagelsmann was recently sacked by Bayern Munich and replaced by none other than Thomas Tuchel so is now on the market as a free agent and it sounds like the owner is still assessing his options should the dugout situation change come the summer.
The Latest: Chelsea eyeing Nagelsmann
According to Football Insider, Chelsea are ‘monitoring the availability’ of Nagelsmann following his departure from Bayern.
The Stamford Bridge outfit are ‘keeping tabs’ on the German should they choose to make a ‘shock’ approach for him ahead of the 2023/24 term.
The Blues, at present, plan to stick with Potter, but should they have a disappointing end to the season, a move for the 35-year-old hasn’t been ‘ruled out’.
Premier League rivals Tottenham also have him on their radar to replace Antonio Conte and it’s understood that Chelsea know it would be ‘very difficult’ to complete a deal should they miss out on a place in the top four.
The Verdict: Perfect candidate
Nagelsmann has been dubbed a ‘tactical brainbox’ by journalist Josh Bunting and should Potter depart, he would be the perfect candidate to take over the reins at Chelsea.
Bayern’s former coach had an incredible track record at the Allianz Arena, winning 60, drawing 14 and losing just ten of his 84 games in charge, averaging 2.31 points per match (Transfermarkt).
The 4-2-3-1 preferred formation target also knows what it takes to be successful having won three trophies during his time at the club which is a great achievement considering he’s a younger manager compared to most others in the game these days.
Nagelsmann was unlucky to be sacked considering that Bayern are only one point away from topping the table in the Bundesliga but given no compensation would have to be paid to secure his services, the Blues are right to monitor his situation.