Thomas Tuchel, the former Chelsea supervisor, is reportedly eyeing a move to bring midfielder Mateo Kovacic to Bayern Munich this summer. This news comes amidst Bayern’s pursuit of highly-rated Chelsea assistant coach Anthony Barry, who worked with Tuchel at Chelsea. Tuchel was sacked by Todd Boehly in September and is looking to exact revenge on the American billionaire with his latest move.
According to reports, Tuchel is not just after Barry from his old hunting ground, but also Kovacic. The Croatian midfielder could be one of several stars to leave Stamford Bridge this summer, with a mass clearout planned due to their large squad. Kovacic’s contract expires in the summer of 2024, and there has been no progress over a new deal.
Losing Kovacic would be a massive blow for Chelsea, where he has recently taken on the captain’s armband after the departure of Jorginho to Arsenal in January. Tuchel himself has spoken highly of Kovacic, describing him as “a beautiful person, a humble person, and so interested in sports. He’s so happy to train and deliver for the team. It’s a real pleasure.”
Bayern could have an advantage in their pursuit of Kovacic with Tuchel being a huge fan of the midfielder, who helped him win the Champions League in 2021. Manchester City has previously expressed interest in Kovacic, but Tuchel’s admiration could give Bayern the edge.
If Kovacic leaves for Munich in the summer, it would likely be the second high-profile departure of its kind with Bayern looking to pry Barry away from Chelsea. Tuchel named the coach in his most recent press conference as Bayern manager in the wake of replacing Julian Nagelsmann last week.
Chelsea is reportedly unhappy with Tuchel’s comments and his desire to take Barry with him. The 36-year-old coach has informed the club that he would like to go to the Allianz Field with his old boss. Barry was brought to the club by Frank Lampard in 2020 and was kept on after the former midfielder was sacked. Roberto Martinez, Portugal’s assistant coach, worked with Barry at Belgium and has been impressed by his methods, bringing him to his new post with the Euro 2016 winners last year.
In conclusion, it remains to be seen whether Tuchel’s pursuit of Kovacic and Barry will come to fruition. However, if they do manage to sign the Croatian midfielder, it would be a huge loss for Chelsea. Similarly, the departure of Barry would be a significant blow to the club, as he has been an integral part of Tuchel’s coaching staff.