Soccer

Thomas Tuchel set to replace Unai Emery at PSG

44-year-old has been out of work since leaving Borussia Dortmund in May 2017

Thomas Tuchel is in pole position to become Paris Saint-Germain’s new manager next season. Photograph: Sascha Schuermann/AFP

Fabrizio Romano
Tue Apr 17 2018 - 10:17

Thomas Tuchel is in pole position to become Paris Saint-Germain's new manager next season after further meetings between his representatives and officials from the French champions.

Tuchel, who has been out of work since leaving Borussia Dortmund in May 2017, would replace Unai Emery at the end of the season despite the Spaniard sealing his first Ligue 1 title at the weekend with a 7-1 thrashing of Monaco.

Chelsea's Antonio Conte had also been a leading candidate to move to the French capital but it is understood the club's president, Nasser al-Khelaifi, favours the appointment of Tuchel over the Italian.

More meetings to finalise details on the 44-year-old’s contract are scheduled for this week, with Emery linked with a return to Sevilla when he finally departs the Parc des Princes. On Sunday, Al Khelaifi denied that any agreement had been reached but PSG’s comprehensive 5-2 aggregate defeat in the Champions League under the Spaniard is believed to have convinced him of the need for change.

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“If we had signed with someone, we would have announced it to you,” he told Canal+.

“Today we have a coach who was on the pitch. We are very honest; we have a coach today who works with us, with a contract until the end of the season.

“Let’s be positive tonight, we’ve done a lot of positive things. We’re champions, it’s a wonderful thing, I thank everyone. And the season is not over yet, there is the cup to win. The Champions League is our big goal, but it’s not easy. We work hard, but the other clubs do it too. We are very proud today.”

Tuchel spent two years at Dortmund, following five at Mainz, and was widely admired for the job he did in replacing Jürgen Klopp at the Westfalenstadion. The team played attractive football and reached two cup finals, winning the second one, as well as being Bayern Munich’s main challengers in the league.

(Guardian service)

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