BILD Sport’s Christian Falk explains what sacked Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel told Boehly about potential transfer for Manchester United superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.
Tuchel was dismissed by Chelsea following a 1-0 defeat to Dinamo Zagreb in the UEFA Champions League on September 6.
The German led the Blues to the UEFA Champions League in 2021 and the FIFA Club World and UEFA Super Cup in 2022.
However, the Stamford Bridge side have lacked firepower throughout Tuchel’s tenure and headed into the summer transfer window on the lookout for a new striker.
New Blues owner Todd Boehly gave Tuchel a transfer war chest this summer to rebuild his side that managed a third-placed finish last season.
Falk claims that the American businessman had proposed the signing of Manchester United striker Cristiano Ronaldo.
However, Tuchel would dismiss the potential signing, saying:
“He will destroy the Spirit in my dressing room.”
Ronaldo has seemed eager to leave United and join a club contending in the Champions League.
Despite this, a lack of concrete interest in the five-time Ballon d’Or winner sees him remain at Old Trafford until at least January.
The Portuguese managed 24 goals in 38 appearances for the Red Devils last season.
It appears that Boehly and Tuchel were at loggerheads over Ronaldo potentially arriving at Stamford Bridge with the latter getting the final word.
Chelsea signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang may have been final nail in coffin after Cristiano Ronaldo was rejected
Both Cristiano Ronaldo and Aubameyang share similar profiles. The duo are in their thirties and are at the back end of their careers.
They are prolific centre-forwards who can score goals from out of nothing.
Boehly may have felt aggrieved that such a commercial asset as Ronaldo was quickly disregarded by Tuchel.
However, Aubameyang is no stranger to issues in the dressing room, having left Arsenal in January in unceremonious circumstances.
The Gabonese striker fell out with Gunners boss Mikel Arteta and was allowed to join Barcelona on a free transfer.
Tuchel’s opinion of Ronaldo disrupting the spirit of his squad may hold merit.
But to then sign a striker who has a similar track record of being the main man leads to questions.
Aubameyang may flourish under the next Chelsea boss but it was clear that the forward was a Tuchel signing.
The Gabonese striker played under Tuchel at Borussia Dortmund, making 95 appearances, scoring 79 goals and making 17 assists.