Ralf Rangnick has confirmed he had the opportunity to join Chelsea back in January following Frank Lampard’s sacking.
The former England international was ruthlessly dispensed with following a wretched run of form which forced Roman Abramovich to sack the club’s all-time record goalscorer.
Chelsea initially approached Rangnick about the possibility of replacing Lampard on a short-term basis, but the German wasn’t interested in a caretaker role which prompted the London club to approach Thomas Tuchel instead.
Rangick subsequently moved to Lokomtiv Moscow but has already jumped ship to take charge of United for the remainder of the season, after which he will move into a two-year advisory role.
Explaining the difference between the two offers he received from the Premier League giants, Rangnick said: ‘At the time, when Chelsea contacted me, they only spoke about the possibility of four months and no prospective of further than that.
‘Here, we are talking about six and a half months and a two year advisory role. If a club like Manchester United contacts you, you cannot possibly turn it down.’
Tuchel has had a transformative impact since moving to Stamford Bridge, winning the Champions League within six months and turning the Blues into genuine title contenders.
Rangnick inherits a similarly talented squad but Tuchel’s compatriot fears it may take a little longer to turn United into a team capable of challenging the English elite for the biggest prizes.
‘The aim is to win the…
Source : metro
