Anthony Barry, the highly rated coach of Chelsea, is reportedly in discussions with Bayern Munich, according to Graham Potter, the Chelsea manager. The 36-year-old coach was brought to Stamford Bridge by Frank Lampard in 2020 and impressed Thomas Tuchel when he took over as Chelsea’s manager a year-and-a-half later. Barry remained at Chelsea after Tuchel’s exit and joined Potter’s backroom team. However, he is thought to be eager to move to Bayern Munich. Potter confirmed that the two clubs are in talks, but hinted that Chelsea may try to delay any switch until after their Champions League quarter-final with Real Madrid, with the winner facing either Bayern or Manchester City in the semis.
Tuchel said at his pre-match press conference on Friday that Barry is in discussions with Bayern Munich and that the clubs are in discussions around his situation. He also said that Barry is not with them at the moment and that it’s the best thing while that’s getting resolved. He added that at the moment there’s nothing to report and it’s just between the two clubs. When asked how long he expects things to rumble on for and whether it is causing disruption, Potter replied that he has no idea and that it’s between the clubs and not something he’s involved in.
Barry was part of Chelsea’s Champions League success in 2021 and is a fantastic coach and person, according to Potter. He also said that while there’s not a direct replacement for anybody, the collective can solve the problem. When asked whether he has spoken to Barry to convince him to stay, Potter said that he has spoken to him and that he’d like the conversation to be private. He added that he respects Barry a lot and that he’s given everything for Chelsea. He also said that human beings have lives, families, aspirations, and different things, so it’s about respecting that.
Potter also addressed the potential Champions League semi-final against Bayern and the prospect of Barry arming the Germans with detailed knowledge of his tactics. He said that it’s club to club, so it’s not for him to say, but obviously, that’s something that he’s pretty sure is in the conversation for obvious reasons.
In other news, Chelsea star Kai Havertz has opened the door to a potential reunion with Thomas Tuchel at Bayern Munich. Meanwhile, Levi Colwill, a Chelsea centre-back rival, has been called a joke and sent a message to Graham Potter. For more stories like this, check our sport page and follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.