Players 'were discussing Tuchel's private life & how he had a younger girlfriend

Thomas Tuchel's private life played a role in his downfall at Chelsea as the players were discussing his failed marriage and his new girlfriend in the dressing room, according to reports.

Tuchel was sacked just seven games into the 2022-2023 Premier League campaign and 100 days into Todd Boehly's reign following his £4.25billion take over from Roman Abramovich.

The German manager is said to have lost the confidence of the Chelsea squad due to his private life, difficult characteristics and erratic behaviour - according to The Independent.

Tuchel's private life was said to be contributing factor to his dismissal as it changed the players perception of him.

In April 2022 Tuchel and his wife Sissi announced they would be getting a divorce after 13 years of marriage. Friends of the couple said that they had 'exhausted all avenues' and that there was no hope of a reconciliation.

As a result, the couple filed for divorce and parted ways officially in May after a judge at London's High Court accepted their request.

It didn't take Tuchel long to get over his marriage as he was pictured with his new Brazilian girlfriend, Natalie Max, on July 28. The pair were seen relaxing on boat in Sardinia before heading back to their £20,000-a-night private villa.

It is thought the new couple's romance blossomed during dates at an Italian restaurant in west London and progressed from there.

Tuchel's relationship with Max is said to have contributed to his downfall at Chelsea. The squad is said to have been discussing how his marriage had fallen apart and the fact he had a younger girlfriend.

According to The Independent, this transformed the squad's perception of their manager. However, it is not the only reason Tuchel lost control of the dressing room at Chelsea.

The players lost faith in his vision for the club and his tactics for the squad. He was no longer regarded as the 'genius' that guided them to Champions League glory.

Additionally, Tuchel's difficult characteristics and erratic behaviour played a role in his downfall at Chelsea. The German manager is said to be guilty of changing his mind frequently.

A source within the Chelsea camp told The Independent that Tuchel would 'say one thing and then complain when it was done'. They said this was because Tuchel would struggle with the pressure of making decisions.

The 49-year-old liked to have 'influence' within the club but made it clear he didn't want too much responsibility. This could reflect why Chelsea's transfer business was so erratic this summer.

Therefore, the Chelsea hierarchy made the decision to remove Tuchel from his role as the club's manager - paying him £13m and his backroom staff an additional £2m to depart.

Chelsea are now making a move for their No 1 choice Graham Potter - rated as one of the best emerging managers in England. The Brighton boss is expected to meet Boehly for talks over the role imminently.

However, extracting him from the Amex Stadium could prove expensive, with sources indicating that Brighton would be owed at least £10m from Chelsea.