I would have been very interested if the deal would have happen- Tuchel reveals
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has finally admitted he thought Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane would join Manchester City during the summer transfer window.
Asked about City’s pursuit of Kane, Tuchel replied: “I thought that this would happen.
“We never had a list with his name on it and I never went to (Chelsea director) Marina (Granovskaia) to tell her to buy him.
“But the club sorted out the situation. There are many people around players, their agents and advisors and people in between and we had some information from these people.
“But it was never that close that we had to experience the rivalry (between Tottenham and Chelsea). We know about the rivalry but I had a feeling that it was never that far.”
Asked if he was worried about Kane joining Manchester City, Tuchel replied: “No, I was not scared, but if it would have happened, I would have been very interested in how maybe it would have changed Manchester City’s style of playing,” said the German when asked if City would have been a fearsome prospect with Kane in their squad.
“We are not afraid of anyone. We accept any team and Manchester City, Man United and Liverpool, they are the teams strong like no other in this league and they have strong squads.
“These are the guys with whom we want to compete and it’s normal that they fight for the best players and I thought this is maybe going to happen.
“On one side I was happy that he stayed because it is also nice that it exists in football that players play for one club only.
“Harry Kane is Tottenham and even for me – I have absolutely nothing to do with Tottenham, I have never worked for them – when I think about Tottenham in the last decade you think about Harry Kane and this is very nice.
“Like you think about (Lionel) Messi and straight away you think about Barcelona and it is very hard to think that he plays for another club now, and that’s the same for Harry Kane.
“So, from this side, I was happy because I like it and a part of my personality is still a fan and I like that things like this happen.
“It is also nice that Romelu Lukaku is back at Chelsea and some things are a good fit and should not be changed.”