Thomas Tuchel reacts to potential Saudi Arabia bid for Chelsea

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has reacted to rumours of a bid from Saudi Arabia and has suggested he would rather the new owners are less controversial so he can get back to simply being a coach.

Roman Abramovich is currently in the process of selling the west London club after being sanctioned by the UK government and has instructed US merchant bank Raine to oversee the process, with Friday’s deadline for bids fast approaching.

On Monday, reports emerged suggesting Saudi Media Group had made a £2.7billion offer for Chelsea, though that could generate even more controversy for the club.

The Premier League faced a massive backlash when Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund were allowed to buy Newcastle United, with LGBTQ+ rights not recognised in the country and their human rights records under increasing scrutiny.

Over the weekend, Saudi Arabia executed 81 men on charges which included ‘holding deviant beliefs’, though when Newcastle manager Eddie Howe was questioned about it he said he preferred to ‘stick to football’.

If the Saudi Arabia bid for Chelsea is successful, and avoids any conflict of interest with Newcastle, Tuchel – like Howe – will undoubtedly face yet more political questions after weeks of dealing with the Abramovich fallout on behalf of the west London club’s so far silent hierarchy.

While the German coach would prefer for that not to be the case, he suggested journalists should be directing their questions at the people responsible for determining who is ‘fit and proper’ to own a football club.

Asked if Saudi Arabian ownership would mean he needs to continue his role as a Chelsea ‘ambassador’ and result in more non-football questions, Tuchel replied: ‘Yeah, but before we discuss a new owner a new owner needs to