Chelsea want to emulate Red Bull model

Karan Tejwani

15 Sept 2022 08:15 BST
3 min read

Chelsea have opened talks with Red Bull Salzburg over the signing of reputed Sporting Director, Christoph Freund, who has drastically improved the Austrian club’s recruitment strategy in recent times.

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The Blues are looking for a new direction having appointed Graham Potter last week to replace Thomas Tuchel and now want a new Sporting Director to oversee the football strategy at the club.

Co-owner Todd Boehly acted as Sporting Director this summer as Chelsea had the most expensive transfer window for a single club ever, and he now wants to hire someone more acclimatized with the role.

Several names have been linked to the role in recent times, but it now seems as though Freund is the top target, and his reputation speaks for itself.

Freund a top target for Chelsea

Red Bull Salzburg are one of Europe’s top clubs when it comes to talent identification, having developed several stars such as Erling Haaland, Karim Adeyemi, Patson Daka, Benjamin Sesko and more in recent times.

Freund has overseen much of the strategy in recent times having grown in his role, and he has been Sporting Director at the club since 2015.

In his tenure, the club have continued their dominance of the Austrian Bundesliga and have added to that with one Europa League semi-final appearance as well as a Champions League last 16 entry last season.

RB Salzburg’s Christoph Freund is one of the main names on Chelsea list for the new director role, not the only one. Contacts positive — talks still ongoing with candidates. 🚨🔵 #CFC

Final decision expected in the next weeks, as Boehly wants a new director as soon as possible. pic.twitter.com/6O2gvOC2IZ
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 13, 2022

According to CBS Sports’ Ben Jacobs, Freund is now a front-runner for the role: "My understanding on Chelsea's new sporting director is talks with Salzburg's sporting director Christoph Freund are already pretty advanced

"Todd Boehly is a big fan of the Red Bull model. He's currently ahead of Monaco's Paul Mitchell, who really wants the job, too,” Jacobs added.

Jacobs then spoke about Paris Saint-Germain sporting advisor Luis Campos, who has been working with the club over the summer: “Luis Campos is an option, and is technically freelance.

“But protection clauses in his PSG contract make a move tough unless he buys out the remainder of his Parc des Princes contract,” Jacobs added about the complications of a deal.