Revealed: The real reason Chelsea have pulled plug on Nagelsmann deal
Chelsea have decided not to appoint out-of-work boss Julian Nagelsmann due to fears over his ability to handle big players, sources have told Football Insider.
The 35-year-old German is among those to have been interviewed by Blues chiefs for the post ahead of a final decision in the next weeks.
A well-placed source has revealed that Chelsea were left impressed by Nagelsmann’s technical quality, his ideas and his modern approach.
But after speaking to respected footballing figures, the Londoners grew concerned about his struggles to connect with big names and egos in the dressing room.
These troubles were highlighted in his last post at Bayern Munich, where he failed to convince the club’s superstars of his methods.
Nagelsmann also fell out with veteran goalkeeper and club captain Manuel Neuer, who publicly criticised his decision to replace Bayern’s long-serving goalkeeping coach.
Like Bayern, Chelsea’s squad is packed with big names – and Blues chiefs believe it is essential to appoint a new boss capable of winning over superstars.
The Londoners have struggled for form this season after spending a remarkable outlay of around £546million on new arrivals across both windows.
Serial winner Raheem Sterling was signed from Man City, while experienced centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly joined the Stamford Bridge club from Napoli.
Veteran Thiago Silva is also considered a key figure in the dressing room and has recently spoken out against the club’s hierarchy and their gung-ho transfer approach.
It has been widely reported that Mauricio Pochettino now leads the race to become Chelsea’s next manager.
Frank Lampard has taken charge of the Blues until the end of the season but is yet to win in four games in the hot seat.
The Londoners sit 11th in the Premier League with seven games remaining this term.
In other news, Chelsea put six first-team mainstays up for sale.