Former Republic of Ireland coach Anthony Barry linked with Bayern Munich

Chelsea will respect coach Anthony Barry’s aspirations should he opt to join Bayern Munich, but any move could be delayed amidst the possibility of the teams meeting in the Champions League semi-final, according to Graham Potter.

Barry, who was publicly courted by former Blues boss Thomas Tuchel this week as he looks to assemble a coaching staff at the Bundesliga champions, has stayed away from Chelsea’s Cobham training ground since the interest was made known.

The club have been disappointed at their former manager’s decision to publicise his pursuit of the 36-year-old, with whom he worked during his Champions League-winning spell at Stamford Bridge.

Barry previously combined his Chelsea role with a position on Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny's coaching team.

In February 2022, he left his Ireland role to become a coach with the Belgian national team. He cited coaching the world's [then] number one ranked team and the opportunity to compete at the World Cup as his motivation for leaving Ireland and joining the Belgians.

Tuchel was appointed by Bayern last Saturday to replace the sacked Julian Nagelsmann, and has begun the process of handpicking coaches alongside whom he has previously enjoyed success.

Barry has been a sought-after young coach since leaving Wigan to join Chelsea in 2020. Barry followed Roberto Martinez when he took the Portugal job earlier this year.

Potter said that talks are ongoing between the clubs, and that the Blues hierarchy are unlikely to stand in his way if he chooses to go.

However, complications could arise with the clubs having been placed on the same side of the draw for the Champions League, and will meet in the last-four if they each progress through the quarter-finals. Chelsea