Tuchel out, Potter in: Will Chelsea re-explore option to sign Cristiano Ronaldo from Man United?

After Chelsea sacked Thomas Tuchel and appointed Graham Potter as its new manager, reports suggested that the Blues could re-explore the option of signing legendary striker Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United after the Qatar World Cup 2022.

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Earlier reports claimed that new Chelsea owner Todd Boehly was hoping to rope in the Portuguese icon in the summer transfer window, but Tuchel was against the idea, sparking friction between the two. According to reports, the German tactician believed that Ronaldo would 'destroy the spirit' of the dressing room and hence was against the idea of signing the 37-year-old legend.
 

Although it remains unclear if the tensions that sprung after Tuchel insisted Chelsea don't pursue Ronaldo's transfer was the root cause of the German's exit from Stamford Bridge, reports point out the relationship between Boehly and Tuchel soured following this saga. Chelsea's Champions League-winning manager was sacked after the Blues suffered a 1-0 defeat against Dinamo Zagreb last week. 

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With former Brighton manager Graham Potter assuming his role as Chelsea's new boss, reports in Spain have suggested that Todd Boehly's interest in signing Ronaldo could reignite. According to a report in Fichajes, Graham Potter has asked the Blue team board for three additions in the following two markets - Ronaldo, Moises Caicedo and Leandro Trossad.

Ronaldo's contract with Manchester United ends in 2023, and the Portuguese icon would still be hoping to feature in the Champions League this season. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner, who hasn't scored a goal yet this campaign, has not been a regular feature in Erik ten Hag's starting XI. And Chelsea are hoping to make the most of this scenario as they aim to sign the talisman after the showpiece event in Qatar later this year.

The report states, "The Blue team will try to sign him (Ronaldo) after the World Cup with the aim of having one more attacker and being able to oppose the rest of the greats for the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League."

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When Potter was at Brighton, he frequently had to make do with a constrained transfer budget, with his recruitment team seeking out jewels abroad rather than lavishing vast sums of money on superstars. It would be intriguing to watch whether he maintains his mentality of signing up-and-coming players or decides to sign ready-made stars at Chelsea, where he will have considerably more cash to work with. It will be intriguing to see if Chelsea makes a move in January since Potter might find it tough to pass up the chance to work alongside Ronaldo.