Thomas Tuchel, Borussia Dortmund's former coach, who spent the season on sabbatical, will take over at French champions Paris Saint-Germain. Tuchel met disgruntled superstar Neymar on Sunday, who then said he would stay.
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Thomas Tuchel, Borussia Dortmund's former coach, who has spent the current season on sabbatical, will take over at Paris Saint-Germain, the French champions confirmed on Monday, ending weeks of speculation.
It is the 44-year-old German's first coaching position abroad; he had several successful seasons with Mainz before taking over the Dortmund job from Jürgen Klopp.
Tuchel succeeds Unai Emery after it was announced in April that the Spaniard was to depart.
He has signed a two-year contract with the French league champions.
The 46-year-old Emery led PSG to five national titles, but failed in the prestigious Champions League.
Tuchel won the 2017 German Cup in his single season with Dortmund, but had no answer for Bayern Munich in the league.
Before his time at Dortmund, Tuchel consistently overachieved on a modest Bundesliga budget with Mainz.
'Great players'
"It is with great joy, pride and ambition that I join this great global football club that is Paris Saint-Germain," Tuchel said in a statement released on Monday by PSG. "I'm impatient to start working with all these great players, all of whom are among the best on the planet. With my staff, we will do everything to help the team push their limits to the highest international level. There is tremendous potential in Paris and this is the most exciting challenge that has come to me."
Tuchel also described himself as impatient to experience the atmosphere in the Parc des Princes, calling it a "mythical stadium" in European football. Following Dortmund's Westfalenstadion (officially the Signal Iduna Park nowadays), the fans and stadium in Paris may have a tough act to follow.
Meanwhile, PSG President Nasser Al-Khelaifi said: "Thomas is one of the best and most competitive European coaches to have emerged over the last few seasons. He abides by very strong principles of playing spectacular and clinical football that has always been the foundation of German football, especially on the international scene."
Tuchel arrived in Paris on Sunday, reportedly sitting down with Brazilian star player Neymar that evening. After a discussion apparently focused on Tuchel's plans for the club and his playing philosophy, PSG sought to quell rumors that the world's most expensive player would be seeking another transfer. Al-Khelaifi claimed late on Sunday that the chances of Neymar staying stood at "2,000 percent."
Clubs have dug deep into their pockets in this year's summer transfer window, with several players changing clubs for big price tags. But who is the most expensive player of all time?
Image: picture-alliancedpa/AP/K. Zihnioglu
10 — Virgil van Dijk
In the 2017-18 season, Jürgen Klopp desperately needed a defender. Liverpool found a way to supply him with one, spending a reported 75 million pounds (€84.2 million, $101.3 million) on Virgil van Dijk in January, making the Dutchman the most expensive defender of all time.
Image: picture-alliance/Newscom/S. Bellis
9 — Romelu Lukaku
After Lukaku scoring 26 goals for Everton in the 2016-17 season, Manchester United shelled out a reported 75 million pounds (€84.8 million, $96.8 million) for the Belgian striker. He rewarded the Red Devils for their investment right away, scoring seven goals in his first seven Premier League games.
Image: picture-alliance/empics/N. French
8 — Gonzalo Higuain
Scoring 36 goals in 35 league appearances, Gonzalo Higuain had a memorable 2015-2016 season at Napoli. Italy's record champions Juventus were eager to sign the Argentinian striker, paying €90 million ($99 million) for his services. After two seasons in Turin, he moved to AC Milan on loan, a deal which could become permanent in 2019.
Image: picture alliance/NurPhoto/G. Maffia
7 — Gareth Bale
Welsh superstar Gareth Bale became the world's most expensive player in 2013 after he transferred to Real Madrid for a fee of €100 million (then $132 million) after a six-year stint at Tottenham Hotspur. His move remains the most costly signing ever finalized by the Spanish club.
Image: picture alliance/ZUMA Press
6 — Paul Pogba
Three years after Bale's mega-move, Paul Pogba dethroned the Welshman as the world's most expensive player when he moved from Juventus to Manchester United for €105 million ($116.6 million). Pogba had come through the Red Devils' youth setup before leaving on a free transfer.
Image: Reuters/A. Yates
5 — Ousmane Dembele
Dembele was one of Dortmund's most exciting and promising players, so much so that only after a year of playing in Germany, Barcelona came knocking for his services. The French forward transferred to Barca for €105 million ($123.9 million) with up to €42 million in bonus payments. The deal is the most expensive sale by a German club in football history.
Image: Reuters/A. Gea
4 — Cristiano Ronaldo
Portugal's most capped player could appear on this list twice. His €94 million (then $132.5 million) move to Real Madrid shattered the world transfer record. After four Ballon d'Or, four Champions League and two La Liga titles with the <i>Galacticos</i>, he completed a €117 million ($136.9 million) move to Juventus in July.
Image: picture-alliance/Pacific Press/A. Gandolfo
3 — Philippe Coutinho
Want to talk about profit? Liverpool purchased Philippe Coutinho from Inter Milan in January 2013 for €13 million ($17.3 million at the time). Five years later, the English club sold the Brazilian playmaker for a reported €120 million ($145.2 million) fee, which could increase to €160 million with bonuses. A pretty good turnover, right?
Image: picture-alliance/NurPhoto/X. Bonilla
2 — Kylian Mbappe
Before he was a World Cup winner with France, Mbappe was a highly coveted teenage talent. After a bursting onto the season with Monaco in 2016-17, the French forward moved to Paris Saint-Germain for a total package worth €180 million (€214 million) — a €45 million loan for 2017-18 followed by a €135 million transfer.
Image: imago/PanoramiC/JBAutissier
1 — Neymar
Who could afford to buy a player for €222 million ($262 million)? Qatari-owned French giants Paris Saint-Germain are one of the very few clubs in the globe capable of it. In the summer of 2017, Brazilian star Neymar received an offer he could just not refuse from PSG. The Brazilian left Lionel Messi's shadow in Barcelona for the French capital, becoming the world's most expensive footballer.
Image: picture-alliancedpa/AP/K. Zihnioglu
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The 46-year-old Emery led PSG to five national titles, but failed in the prestigious Champions League — never progressing beyond the quarterfinals. In 2016-17 they let a 4-0 lead slip against Barcelona and lost to Real Madrid this season.
Tuchel will bring with him an attacking mindset; his Dortmund team was known for attacking with pace, while underfunded Mainz often focused on counterattacking. He's known as a demanding coach who expects a great deal from his players in training, especially on tactical matters. He speaks French and English.
How he manages PSG’s biggest-name forwards — Edinson Cavani, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar — could prove crucial.
According to daily Le Parisien, Tuchel will be looking at new signings and may have players from the Bundesliga in his sights, with Augsburg left-back Philipp Max, Dortmund's defender Ömer Toprak and midfielder Julian Weigl mentioned as possible targets.
He already has German stars at his disposal: Kevin Trapp in goal and Julian Draxler on the flank.
Tuchel’s playing career as a defender at third-division Ulm was ended by a knee injury in 1998.