Chelsea have rejected a scathing claim made about them from Volker Struth, the agent of former Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann.
Nagelsmann had emerged as the front runner to take over from Graham Potter at Stamford Bridge but he turned down the Blues after being interviewed.
The 35-year-old was believed to have had major reservations over Chelsea’s managerial search before choosing to withdraw from the race.
Nagelsmann wants a ‘project that is on solid ground’ for his next job and the current chaos at Chelsea, who have endured a disappointing campaign, put him off the role.
But, it has also been reported that Chelsea were put off Nagelsmann themselves, with the club feeling he was too young for the vacant role and also too similar to Thomas Tuchel.
Nagelsmann’s agent Struth, though, claimed that the manager made the ‘right decision’ not to join the West London team, who are ‘a club in troubled waters’.
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‘I can confirm that Chelsea were quick to call [after Nagelsmann’s dismissal at Bayern Munich]. There were some phone conversations,’ he told Bild.
‘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.’
According to The Athletic, the Blues have turned down Struth’s version of events and claim he was not their No.1 target, with Mauricio Pochettino now set to take over.
Micah Richards believes Pochettino is an ‘outstanding appointment’ and has tipped Chelsea to ‘take off’ under their new manager next season.
Pochettino has privately warned Chelsea’s board it will take two years to fix the club and make the club title challengers once again – while he is also set to put the squad through a brutal fitness test.
