Thomas
Tuchel has signed a two-year extension to his Chelsea deal six days after
winning the Champions League.
The 47-year-old arrived at Stamford Bridge in January, replacing club legend
Frank Lampard as head coach on an initial 18-month deal "with the
possibility of an extension".
That extension has been granted after the German, who was sacked by
Paris-Saint Germain on Christmas Eve, delivered the Champions League trophy
courtesy of a 1-0 victory over Premier League champions Manchester City.
Tuchel guided Chelsea to a fourth-place finish in the Premier League during
the 2020/21 season and also reached the FA Cup final, where his side were
beaten 1-0 by Leicester City at Wembley.
On the extension of his contract, Tuchel told the club's official website:
"I cannot imagine a better occasion for a contract renewal. I am grateful
for the experience and very happy to stay part of the Chelsea family.
"There is far more to come and we are looking forward to our next steps with
ambition and much anticipation."
Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia added: "When Thomas joined us in January
there was still so much to play for domestically and in Europe. He slotted
in seamlessly and immediately became an integral part of the Chelsea family.
"Returning us to the top four in the Premier League was crucial, and we
could not be happier with our success in the Champions League which crowned
a remarkable season at Chelsea.
"We are obviously extremely pleased therefore to retain Thomas for a further
two years, and look forward to more achievements in the coming seasons."
Tuchel has won 19 of his 30 games in charge so far, losing five times and
conceding just 16 goals.
Last weekend, he became the first manager to reach back-to-back Champions
League finals with two different clubs.
Analysis: Tuchel just getting started?
Sky Sports' Peter Smith:
"Winning a Champions League trophy is the pinnacle of a career for most
players and coaches - but there is a feeling Thomas Tuchel can bring even
more success to Chelsea in the coming seasons and this new contract is proof
the club's hierarchy are convinced that's the case.
"That win over Manchester City in Porto was a sweet moment for Tuchel,
especially after his near-miss with Paris St-Germain the year before. But
now the challenge is to get the better of City over the 38-game stretch of a
Premier League season. And the signs are that Chelsea are on the right path.
"Since the German took over from Frank Lampard in January, he set about
turning Chelsea into an organised unit able to shut out the best attacks in
Europe. They did just that, with their three-man defence - bolstered by the
reintegration of Antonio Rudiger - keeping 19 clean sheets in his 30 games
in charge.
"That solidity was pivotal in their three narrow wins over Manchester City,
the crunch ties in the latter stages of the Champions League, and a run of
one defeat in 16 Premier League games which helped secure a top-four finish.
"But it had to be - because at the other end of the pitch, Chelsea's
finishing was so often below par this season. It's a problem which dates
back to before Tuchel's reign but it is one he will have to address this
summer if Chelsea are going to reclaim the Premier League title.
"Whether that is an external solution or just a rebooting of players such as
Timo Werner and Kai Havertz who scored so freely in the Bundesliga remains
to be seen. However, given Chelsea's strength in depth in other areas of the
field, if Tuchel can come up with the answer in front of goal, there is a
great chance more silverware will be added to the collection during the term
of this extended contract."
top