21 April 2023 , 12:24
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Thomas Tuchel has expressed his delight after Bayern Munich struck a seven-figure deal with Chelsea to bring highly-rated coach Anthony Barry to the Allianz Arena.
Barry was already in position at Stamford Bridge after being brought to the club by Frank Lampard, when Tuchel replaced the Blues legend back in 2021. After working closely together at Stamford Bridge, Tuchel made no secret of his desire to be reunited with the 36-year-old when he was confirmed as Bayern Munich's new head coach last month.
The Blues were reluctant to lose the services of Barry, who was given permission to take up a dual role with the Portugal national team earlier this year.
The former Wigan Athletic coach had even agreed to stay away from the club's Cobham training base while negotiations between Chelsea and Bayern took place, but it was confirmed by The Times on Thursday that a deal worth £1million had finally been reached.
And Tuchel couldn't hide his delight during his pre-match press conference when he confirmed that Barry is now part of his new team before signing the coach's praises.
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The Bayern boss said: “He’s arrived. I’m very happy. We really wanted to have him with us. He’s a great personality, passion and quality, whether it’s the details or set piece situations. I’ve not seen such a level before.”
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Bayern Munich have agreed to pay a seven-figure compensation fee for Barry (Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images)Pinching Barry will be seen as a major coup by Tuchel, who was dismissed from his role at Stamford Bridge back in September - just weeks after Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital acquired the club following the departure of Roman Abramovich.
Despite a difficult start to the season, Tuchel was still a popular figure amongst the Chelsea fanbase, who were stunned by his sudden departure. His successor, Graham Potter, lasted just six months before he too was dismissed by the Blues hierarchy earlier this month.
Tuchel admitted after taking up the post with Bayern that he was hurt after learning his Chelsea fate in an abrupt meeting. He told The Mail last month: "It was a shock. I felt it, strangely, when I drove to the training centre. The meeting we had felt unusual – and it turned out to be a very short meeting. It was 8am, or something, and it lasted three to five minutes. I was also not in the mood to talk longer.
"The decision had been made and, honestly, it was a shock for all of us. We had a feeling that we were in the right spot at the right time. We felt that we could achieve big things and we wanted to stay longer – it was as simple as that."