Chelsea have announced they have parted company with manager Thomas Tuchel following their 1-0 Champions League defeat to Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday.
In a move that has sent shockwaves among Chelsea fans, the Blues have announced they have parted ways with manager Thomas Tuchel following their 1-0 defeat in the Champions League clash against Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday. The German's sacking comes just three months after new owner Todd Boehly took over the business at Stamford Bridge.
"On behalf of everyone at Chelsea FC, the Club would like to place on record its gratitude to Thomas and his staff for all their efforts during their time with the Club. Thomas will rightly have a place in Chelsea's history after winning the Champions League, the Super Cup and Club World Cup in his time here," Chelsea said in a statement.
"As the new ownership group reaches 100 days since taking over the Club, and as it continues its hard work to take the club forward, the new owners believe it is the right time to make this transition. Chelsea's coaching staff will take charge of the team for training and the preparation of our upcoming matches as the Club moves swiftly to appoint a new head coach. There will be no further comment until a new head coach appointment is made," the statement added.
Regardless of the loss on Tuesday night, there had been mounting doubts about Tuchel's ability to guide Chelsea into the future under co-controlling owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital. The German's future was reportedly in doubt regardless of whether the Blues won, lost or drew in Zagreb. Reports suggest that Anthony Barry will likely take temporary charge until a replacement is found. Here's a look at four candidates who could take over as Chelsea's new manager.
Mauricio Pochettino left Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the summer and is now a free agent after failing to win the Champions League in France. However, the Argentine's reputation is still excellent, and he is still widely recognised as one of the top football managers in the world. Despite losing out to Rennes last season, Pochettino still managed to lead PSG to the Ligue 1 championship. He has prior Premier League managerial experience with Southampton and Tottenham, leading the latter to the Champions League final in 2019. The 50-year-old is now likely to be a frontrunner for the job in the wake of Tuchel's sacking.
Graham Potter has done nothing short of a fantastic job at Brighton. When they fired Chris Houghton in May 2019, the 47-year-old was a gamble because the Englishman had only been with Swansea for a year. However, Potter has helped Brighton establish themselves as a Premier League team and has also contributed to their early-season success. Brighton and Hove Albion are fourth in the league standings, ahead of Chelsea and Manchester United.
Legendary French footballer Zinedine Zidane, who most recently oversaw Real Madrid before leaving his position in 2021, is currently taking a break from management, similar to Pochettino. He has had a stellar managerial career thus far, winning two La Liga championships and three Champions League championships in his first season at the Bernabeu. And with Chelsea previously courting Zidane when Roman Abramovich was owner, it's possible interest will be reignited following Boehly's decision to pull the trigger.
Joachim Low has been mentioned in connection with Chelsea numerous times. The first occurred in 2010, just after Carlo Ancelotti left. Years later, when Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte left, his name was also mentioned. With Germany's national team for 15 years, Low did wonders, rebuilding the nation and leading them to World Cup victory in 2014. It's unknown if he would be enthusiastic about returning to management after only one year. But Low would be another good candidate for Chelsea to have under consideration, given he's yet another proven winner presently on the market.