Thomas Tuchel latest as Chelsea manager still hopeful of joining Club World Cup

Thomas Tuchel could still join Chelsea’s squad for the Club World Cup.

Chelsea boss Tuchel tested positive for Covid after taking a test last Friday and missed the flight to Abu Dhabi with the rest of the squad.

Tuchel will definitely sit out Wednesday night’s semi-final with Al Hilal in the Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium but if he returns a negative test by Thursday he could get clearance for a potential final on Saturday.

FIFA have listed Tuchel and also Edouard Mendy in the squad lists and the Chelsea keeper is also expected to report up later in the week after winning the African Cup of Nations with Senegal.

Chelsea do have a fitness doubt over Mason Mount from the weekend but Tuchel is certain to want to reward the players who won the Champions League with the hope of emulating Liverpool ’s feat of 2019 by winning the prestigious FIFA tournament.

Meanwhile, Chelsea will pay compensation to four former youth-team players over historical racist abuse at the London club.

The four men sued Chelsea, seeking damages for personal injury and loss over claims they were “subjected to a barrage of disgracefully offensive racist abuse” from two members of the youth coaching staff in the 1990s when the club was under a previous ownership.

But Chelsea took the proactive step of coming to a financial arrangement and offered them each a six figure sum rather than put them through a harrowing court case.

Court documents alleged one coach “would accompany verbal abuse with physical assaults of a sexual nature” while the men were aged between 14 and 18 at the time.

A Chelsea statement said: “The club is pleased that we have been able to conclude a settlement of these claims without any further litigation.

“We will continue to offer