Real Madrid have made Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel their number one target to replace Carlo Ancelotti, according to Spanish newspaper Sport. The Italian, who has guided Los Blancos to a nine-point lead at the top of La Liga this season, faces an uncertain future at the Santiago Bernabeu despite having enjoyed a strong season.
The report claims that president Florentino Perez has become growingly concerned with Ancelotti's style of play. Doubts over the 62-year-old's future have only been fuelled by Barcelona's recent four-goal demolition of Real Madrid.
Sport adds that the Spanish side's hierarchy has already drawn up a shortlist of potential replacements if Ancelotti is fired. Tuchel, who reportedly headlines said list, has been an excellent leader and spokesman for Chelsea amid such uncertain times, so if the Blues were to lose the German, the club could quickly fall into despair.
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So, we Carefree Chelsea at football.london, contemplated what would definitely happen at Stamford Bridge if Tuchel were to jump ship amid Real Madrid's interest. And, well, let's just say that it wouldn't be a pretty sight.
Any chance of keeping Rudiger vanishes
Suppose Tuchel were to swap west London for Madrid. In that case, I'm sure that any chance that Chelsea had of retaining Antonio Rudiger would vanish unless the prospective new owner brought in Zinedine Zidane or Mauricio Pochettino, who is set to leave Paris Saint-Germain in the summer.
As much as I'd like to think that Rudiger would want to stay, losing Tuchel amid such uncertain times would be the final nail in the coffin. The centre-half has courted interest from Los Blancos, so a reunion at the Santiago Bernabeu would make sense for the German duo.
Tchouameni deal collapses
Aurelien Tchouameni, who spearheaded the Blues' transfer shopping list in the summer, has decided that he wants to play for Real Madrid, according to Spanish journalists Rodrigo Faez and Ramon Alvarez, via their transfer show. The report claims that AS Monaco are expected to demand just £42m for the 22-year-old's signature.
Chelsea opted against signing the midfielder in the summer because the club felt as if he could have done with another 12 months of development, according to The Athletic. Tuchel's side has since paid the price for their naivety and reluctance to pull the trigger on the said deal.
The combination of the Blues' ongoing ownership saga and Tuchel leaving, I think, would rule out a move to Chelsea for Tchouameni.
Real Madrid finally complete worst kept secret in football
Tuchel penning a deal at the Santiago Bernabeu would surely publicise the worst kept secret in football — Kylian Mbappe joining at the Santiago Bernabeu. The 23-year-old, who sees his contract with PSG expire at the end of the season, has flirted with the prospect of becoming a Galatico for while.
Spanish outlet El Confidencial, via the Daily Record, report that the French side's exit from the Champions League will convince Mbappe to finally pen a deal with Real Madrid in the summer.
Chelsea lose seat at the table for Europe's best
The Blues have a very good squad, but the German's art of management takes the club to another level. Tuchel transformed Chelsea into European and World champions. A side that everyone feared.
With Tuchel, Chelsea has a seat at the table among the world's best sides — Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Liverpool and Manchester City. But, by taking the Blues boss out of the equation, I think that Chelsea would no longer be a part of that 'absolutely elite' bracket.
Yes, the west Londoners would be still among Europe's best but not the best. If you're to take Julian Nagelsmann out of Bayern, Guardiola out of City, Carlo Ancelotti out of Real Madrid and — to an extent — Klopp out of Liverpool, then each of those three or four teams would still be in the Champions League semi-final the following season. In all honesty, I don't think that'd be the case with Chelsea, and that's a testament to the great work Tuchel has done.
