"I could see him potentially going back" - Bent says 49-year-old could become Chelsea manager once again in the future

Former Tottenham Hotspur striker Darren Bent believes that Thomas Tuchel could return as Chelsea's manager in the future. However, he doesn't see him taking over the managerial helm at Tottenham.

Spurs manager Antonio Conte is in the final six months of his contract at N17 and is yet to extend his stay at the club. Amidst this, it has been claimed that the German tactician is open to replacing Antonio Conte as Spurs' manager.

Speaking to TalkSPORT, Bent said (h/t Chelsea Chronicle):

"I don’t think he would be (interested in Spurs), Thomas Tuchel, no. I could see him potentially going back to Chelsea at some stage… not straight after Potter."

“I can’t see Tuchel going to #THFC!” ❌

👀 “I could see him going back to #CFC. Realistically, he could go to most clubs.”

Darren Bent says Thomas Tuchel won’t be intrigued by the prospect of going to Spurs. https://t.co/m6WG7STmIu

Todd Boehly's consortium officially became the club's owner in May 2022. Just a week after the summer transfer window shut down, Tuchel was abruptly sacked from his role as the club's head coach.

Chelsea moved quickly to replace him with Brighton and Hove Albion manager Graham Potter. However, the club are struggling to put together a decent run of results under the Englishman.

Before their 1-0 league win against Crystal Palace on 15 January, the west London giants had lost six out of their last eight games across competitions. This is hardly the kind of form that gets a team UEFA Champions League football.

They are currently languishing in 10th position, with just 28 points from 19 games. It remains to be seen if Beohley is as trigger-happy as previous owner Roman Abramovich was during his reign.

Tuchel has been a free agent since losing his job at Stamford Bridge. He has since been linked with moves to Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Graham Potter's verdict on Chelsea's much-needed win against Crystal Palace

Kai Havertz's 64th-minute goal was enough to grab all three points for Chelsea against Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge.

🤜🏼⚽ https://t.co/535tDdCTzU

The pressure on Graham Potter would have intensified if the Blues failed to beat the Eagles at SW6. It wasn't easy, as both teams managed to have the same number of shots on target (five).

However, the west London giants made one count, and that is all that mattered. Speaking after the game, a relieved Potter said (h/t Football.London):

"You have to deal with the bad times, the tough situations, accept the criticism that comes your way and accept the responsibility [sic]. The players have suffered, that's not nice, but it's important to enjoy the win today and it gives a shot in the arm for next week."

The Blues' next task is a huge Premier League clash against Liverpool at Anfield tomorrow (21 January).