New Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel has confirmed he wants to add Chelsea coach Anthony Barry to his staff.
Tuchel, sacked by Chelsea in September, has landed his next job following the equally surprising sacking of Julian Nagelsmann at the Germany giants.
For Tuchel, it is a return to Germany where he made his name with Mainz and then Borussia Dortmund, and wants to reunite with his backroom which helped him win the Champions League with Chelsea two years ago.
Arno Michels and Zsolt Low departed with Tuchel when the manager was sacked, though Barry stayed put having originally been hired during Frank Lampard’s reign.
It remains unclear if Barry is happy to swap west London for Bavaria, but Tuchel appears confident a deal can be struck in his first press conference as Bayern head coach.
Discussing how the deal with Bayern came about, Tuchel told reporters: “The timing was surprising, I didn’t expect it and there was no contact beforehand. I assumed that I would continue my career abroad.
“The first interview was on Tuesday evening. The size of the challenge was the deciding factor.
“My coaching staff wasn’t prepared either, so a big thank you to their families for their flexibility. Arno Michels and Zsolt Low, who have been working with me for over ten years, will be there.
“We’re hoping to add Anthony Barry, who is currently at Chelsea.”