Former Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann had some issue with the vision the Chelsea board were selling during talks over the managerial vacancy at Stamford Bridge.
Mauricio Pochettino is now the favourite to land the Chelsea job, according to Ben Jacobs in his exclusive CaughtOffside column, and he’s also given some insight into what went wrong with Nagelsmann’s talks with the Blues.
While sources close to Nagelsmann have given a slightly different account of what went on than sources close to Chelsea, Jacobs has explained that the German tactician wasn’t entirely sold on the vision being sold to him, and some inconsistencies with what the west Londoners were telling him.
“Julian Nagelsmann was never the preferred candidate and the story behind his withdrawal has two sides,” Jacobs said.
“Those close to the ex-Bayern boss say he wasn’t sold on the vision having received what is termed an ‘inconsistent’ picture of it during talks. They also stress the hiring process wasn’t structured as Nagelsmann had hoped, which can be taken as code for he thought the job was his.
“Chelsea sources paint a slightly different picture, emphasising Nagelsmann wasn’t prepared to go through what has repeatedly been termed an “exhaustive process”. The 35-year-old wanted a managerial coronation not a process.
“It’s also been made clear Chelsea never made Nagelsmann any promises he was their top choice, and that actually due diligence on him provided mixed (and even some negative) feedback.”
Nagelsmann impressed at RB Leipzig and also won the Bundesliga at Bayern before his departure midway through this season, so he should have plenty of other suitors in the near future even if things didn’t work out with Chelsea.