The Blues boss has hinted that there will be an announcement on an extension to his current 18-month deal
Thomas Tuchel has hinted that he will be getting a new contract after helping Chelsea to a 1-0 win over Manchester City in the Champions League final.
The Blues became European champions for the second time thanks to a Kai Havertz strike, but will quickly be looking to secure the future of the manager who masterminded the success.
After replacing Frank Lampard in January, Chelsea signed Tuchel to an 18-month deal that now looks to be on the verge of extension.
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What was said?
“I’m not even 100 per cent sure, but maybe I have a new contract now,” Tuchel said in his post-match press conference. “It can be, my manager said something about it, but I do not know. So let’s check this first.
“I spoke to the owner right now on the pitch, this was the best moment for a first meeting. Or the worst, because from now on it can only get worse! We will speak tomorrow, speak later, speak tomorrow, and looking forward to this.
“I can assure him that I will stay hungry, that I want the next title and I feel absolutely happy, as a part of a really ambitious club, a strong part of a strong group. That suits my belief and my passion for football at the moment perfectly.
“So my desire is to go for more victories, to grow as a coach and to push the group on the first day of the next season to the limit. We have work to do to close the gap, and this is what I’m all about. And so it will be nice to meet him a bit closer.
“We are in contact but not personally, he knows what’s going on from me directly. But now it’s nice to meet him.”
Is there any concern that Tuchel could leave early?
No, Tuchel is known to be delighted with his arrangement at Stamford Bridge and the recent success over Pep Guardiola’s side will only strengthen his resolve.
When asked previously about signing a short contract, Tuchel explained that succeeding would ensure that he would stay for longer in west London and that he was happy with the situation.
Chelsea have looked to offer short contracts to their managers after being forced to pay Antonio Conte and his staff £26 million ($37m) after a protracted legal battle following his sacking. Similarly, Jose Mourinho secured a huge payout when he lost his job at Chelsea.
What else did Tuchel say?
Tuchel added that Chelsea becoming champions of Europe was just the beginning for his young group: “Well it’s about the next one, honestly,” he said.
“When we won the cup in Dortmund, I did not arrive at the next training with less hunger or ambition.
“Of course, now is the time to celebrate for some days, to enjoy and to let it sink in. Absolutely, to let it sink in this is the time now for one or two weeks and to talk about it and reflect on it.
“But then it does surprisingly not a lot to you and I think that’s good, because nobody wants to rest, I want the next success, the next title, the next process, the same level of quality.
“I want to be a pat of it and I demand to be a part of it. This is what comes next, make no mistake about it.”