Julian Nagelsmann was Chelsea’s “first choice” to become their new permanent manager, but the German boss made the “right decision” to turn them down due to the “troubled waters” at Stamford Bridge, according to his agent.
Nagelsmann was for a while the favourite to take over from Graham Potter, but with reports suggesting he was frustrated by the thorough interview process having believed the job was his.
Mauricio Pochettino is now set to take the hotseat having reportedly agreed terms, and will fly to London in the coming days to sign what is thought to be a three-year contract.
But as Volker Struth, Nagelsmann’s agent, has revealed, the job was his client’s if he had wanted it.
Struth told Bild’s podcast Phrasenmaher: “I can confirm that Chelsea were quick to call [after Nagelsmann’s dismissal at Bayern Munich]. There were some phone conversations.
“It was the right decision [by Nagelsmann] not to go there. It’s a club in troubled waters at the moment.
“And their transfer policy, spending a few hundred million euros, has raised expectations that need to be met. There were also some other issues.
“He was their number one [choice], that was our information. I believe it would have happened if he had wanted it.”
The Athletic claim Chelsea have refuted those claims, and while the club were interested in Nagelsmann and made contact, he was never their first choice.
Nagelsmann was up for grabs having been sacked by Bayern Munich in March and replaced by Thomas Tuchel.
The 35-year-old was also thought to be on a longlist for the Spurs job but he will not be part of the final interview stage.
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