Thomas Tuchel letter to Chelsea fans hints he'd love Stamford Bridge return

Thomas Tuchel could be gearing up for a return to the Premier League in the summer, after it was revealed he’ll step down as Bayern Munich boss at the end of the campaign. The German has spent less than one year in charge of the record Bundesliga champions, but he is now set to be a free agent when the current season ends.

It comes following a string of dodgy results for Bayern Munich, who after losing the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against Lazio, suffered yet more humiliation over the weekend against strugglers VfL Bochum. The results have left Bayern at threat of going trophyless this season, having already been knocked out of the DFB Pokal by third-tier Saarbrucken.

But could a return to former club Chelsea be on the cards for Tuchel next season? Tuchel spent just over a year and a half in charge of Chelsea between early 2021 and late 2022, delivering the club’s second-ever Champions League triumph during his first season in charge.

What’s more, the one-time Borussia Dortmund manager has gone on record in the past to speak about his love for the west London club. Following his dismissal in September 2022, Tuchel released a statement claiming Chelsea will always have a ‘special place’ in his heart, while hinting at a possible return one day.

“This is one of the most difficult statements I have ever had to write — and it is one which I hoped I would not need to do for many years,” it read. “I am devastated that my time at Chelsea has come to an end.

“This is a club where I felt at home, both professionally and personally. Thank you so much to all the staff, the players and the supporters for making me feel very welcome from the start.

“The pride and joy I felt at helping the team to win the Champions League and the Club World Cup will stay with me forever. I am honoured to have been a part of this club’s history and whatever the future holds for me, the memories of the last 18 months will always have a special place in my heart.”

Tuchel was let go by Chelsea early on in the Todd Boehly era, with the American opting to bring in Graham Potter as his replacement instead. Of course, that appointment failed miserably, with Frank Lampard hired as an interim at the back end of last season, before Mauricio Pochettino got the job ahead of the current campaign.

Yet things haven’t exactly gone to plan for Pochettino since being handed the reins either, with Chelsea currently 10th in the Premier League table. Given Tuchel will be available for hire once again, Boehly and co. could look to revert to type in the summer and bring back the fan-favourite manager.