Thomas Tuchel wouldn’t be disappointed if Chelsea were unable to bring in new signings this summer and insists he will not risk a bad influence being added to the “top guys in the dressing room”.
Since taking charge at Stamford Bridge at the end of January, Tuchel has overseen a dramatic upturn in form. Chelsea are unbeaten in 14 matches under the German coach, sit in the Premier League top four, and have reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League and semi-finals of the FA Cup.
The improvement under Tuchel has underlined the quality already within the Blues squad. But that will not stop the club from trying to recruit new players in this summer’s transfer window.
Top of Chelsea’s list is Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland. The 20-year-old striker has netted 49 times in 49 matches for the Bundesliga giants and is wanted by a number of European superpowers, including Manchester United, Manchester City, Barcelona and Real Madrid.
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The Blues also want to add a centre-back to their ranks, although given the current quintet of Cesar Azpilicueta, Andreas Christensen, Thiago Silva, Antonio Rudiger and Kurt Zouma have helped Chelsea keep 12 clean sheets in Tuchel’s 14 games, the club’s outlook may have changed.
Given what Chelsea still have to play for this season, it’s no surprise Tuchel’s focus isn’t on the summer transfer market.
However, the Blues head coach did emphatically state that any potential addition must neatly fit into the close-knit group he has developed.
“Our players are happy to be with us,” Tuchel said ahead of tomorrow’s game against West Bromwich Albion when asked whether he felt a new forward was needed.
“This is the most important thing. And don’t forget that we have young guys up front and they will get better. I am convinced [by that] and it is my job to make them better.
“Honestly, if we have a transfer ban [from] tomorrow, I would be a happy coach next season. We can push this team to the next limit and level. I have ideas, of course, of how to maybe improve this team, but it’s very, very difficult.
“First of all we have a very strong group with a strong bond, and this means that we need excellent characters.
“That is the most important thing because we have top guys in the dressing room and I won’t allow anybody to ruin that and have a bad influence in there. So we have to be absolutely sure.
“The work ethic, the mentality, the attitude towards training and games is outstanding, and it has to stay like this.
“There has to stay a strong bond in the dressing room. It’s not like a puzzle where you take out a piece and put the next piece in. This is a complex situation, every transfer market is.”
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