Former Chelsea boss Tuchel will try to tempt two Blues stars to join him at new club

Thomas Tuchel was announced as the new manager of Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich on Friday. 

The former Chelsea boss succeeds Julian Nagelsmann, who was sacked this week with the club sat second in the German top flight, just one point behind league leaders Borussia Dortmund.

The role is Tuchel’s first since being sacked by Chelsea back in September, and he will be tasked with achieving success not only domestically but also in Europe, like he did when guiding Chelsea to a Champions League triumph in 2021.

Now, though, it is being reported that the German could attempt to persuade two of his former Chelsea players to join him in Bavaria.

As per Calciomercato via Football London, Bayern will launch moves for both Edouard Mendy and Mateo Kovacic, two players who played key roles during Tuchel’s reign at Stamford Bridge.

The report claims that the pair are valued at a combined £43.9 million, partly due to their respective situations at the west London club.

Kovacic could join former boss Thomas Tuchel in Munich

Kovacic, 28, has been linked with a move away from the club in recent weeks and is set to be out of contract at the end of next season.

Chelsea could therefore decide to sell him this summer rather than losing him for free 12 months later, especially considering that they paid a Premier League record fee of £107 million to land fellow central midfielder Enzo Fernandez from Benfica in January.

Mendy, meanwhile, also faces an extremely uncertain future at Stamford Bridge.

The Senegal international instantly became The Blues’ first choice ‘keeper when he joined from Rennes back in 2020, but his form dipped at the start of the current campaign and he hasn’t featured this calendar year due to injury.

Mendy’s contract is set to expire in 2025 and it had initially been suggested that the club would look to extend that deal.

According to the report, though,  talks over a new deal for Mendy have stalled and, with Kepa Arrizabalaga having played regularly for three months now, the ex-Rennes man could depart.