Same energy as with Hakimi, if Tuchel wants Rice then we back him – Talk Chelsea

Thomas Tuchel has just helped Chelsea bring home only their second ever Champions League trophy in what was seen as a successful second part of the season since he took the reigns.

Please take a moment to check out my own Chelsea News website, bringing you the latest inside information, weekly Podcasts, and all your general Chelsea news. All FREE content, and FREE to subscribe here!

He has proven to be a real master tactician, as he was renowned for across the footballing world before he arrived at Chelsea. He has proven to be a very smart manager and one that has the potential to go far with Chelsea.

Now, this summer, you give him the tools that he wants to close the gap and really challenge for the Premier League title. You ask him which players he thinks he needs to compete, and providing those are realistic options, you go and get them for him. If he then fails at the end of the season, at least you have fully backed him. He isn’t just some amateur football manager, he is a top coach who KNOWS the game inside out, he knows players, he knows talents, and he knows what he needs to make Chelsea compete.

And this goes for the fans as well. I’ve seen arguments over the rumours surrounding us going for Achraf Hakimi, then I saw the same debates over Adama Traore, and now I am seeing the same debates over Declan Rice.

IF Tuchel wants Rice, then let him have Rice. And I say ‘if’, but the majority of the top sources have all confirmed Rice to very much be a Tuchel target, a player that the German has asked the board for. And the board are willing to back the manager, so should we.

There is a consensus that when the player is not ‘popular’ amongst sections of the fan base for whatever reason, the narrative that some have shown before in claiming ‘we must back Tuchel if he wants Hakimi’ changes dramatically to ‘we don’t need Rice, I don’t believe he is a Tuchel target.’ There is no consistency.

I won’t always think this way, but right after winning the Champions League and proving once again his quality as a coach, then this summer Tuchel should be given the players he wants, and we must back those signings.

People writing off Declan Rice, are we forgetting that there was and has always been chatter that Tuchel might switch to play a four at the back next season, using a more traditional ‘destroyer’ defensive midfielder? If he does this, then Rice is made for that role. He is also a much better player than many are crediting him to be right now, based off the back of a couple of lacklustre England performances.