Christoph Freund has officially confirmed he won’t be joining Chelsea as their new sporting director, bringing the pursuit to an immediate end.
Chelsea expected Freund acceptance of the role after agreeing personal terms with him on Sunday as reported by Fabrizio Romano but Salzburg kept their stance and refused to sanction the departure.
Freund said “As I have already confirmed in interviews, Chelsea FC was interested in me.
“When such a big club asks, it not only honours me and the work of FC Red Bull Salzburg, it is of course also a fact which entails personal considerations. But I’ve come to the conclusion that FC Red Bull Salzburg is the best place for me and that a change is out of question for me.
“We’re in the middle of a very intense phase and have important tasks to do in the Bundesliga, Cup and Champions League – that’s what my whole focus and concentration are all on.”
Reacting to the announcement by Freund, the CEO of RB Salzburg Stephan Reiter, said that Freund has been doing excellent work for the club for many years and only recently extended his contract until 2026. He, however confirmed that Freund will remain RB Salzburg’s sporting director.
Sources had told Sportsawake that Chelsea are expected to re-open talks with other candidates this week with Bayer Leverkusen’s Tim Steidten among those linked.
