Chelsea's Champions League-winning coach Thomas Tuchel will be sticking around in South West London for a while longer after he signed a new contract at the club to remain at the helm until 2024.
Former Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain boss Tuchel has been a revelation since taking the reins at Stamford Bridge in January, guiding the team to the finals of both the FA Cup and Champions League while also securing his side a coveted top-four position in the Premier League.
Tuchel was handed an 18-month contract when he stepped in to succeeded Frank Lampard but the German's heroics in reversing Chelsea's fortunes since he took over has compelled Roman Abramovich to sign off on a bumper new deal which will tie him to the club for a further three seasons.
"I cannot imagine a better occasion for a contract renewal. I am grateful for the experience and very happy to stay part of the Chelsea family," said Tuchel upon signing the deal.
"There is far more to come and we are looking forward to our next steps with ambition and much anticipation."
Tuchel was drafted into the club in late January and was tasked with correcting a slump in form under former boss Lampard which had threatened to jettison Chelsea from the rest of the Premier League pacesetters.
The difference was immediately evident. The defense, which had become increasingly porous in Lampard's final months, immediately became one of league's sternest, while he also displayed his astute experience in guiding Chelsea past the likes of Atletico Madrid, Porto and Real Madrid into the club's first Champions League Final since 2012.
Last Saturday's win against Manchester City in European football's showpiece game also suggested that Tuchel has more than enough tactical nous to threaten the accepted hierarchy of English football which has been dominated by Liverpool and City in recent season - indeed last Saturday's win was Tuchel's third against Pep Guardiola's side in the span of just six weeks.
"When Thomas joined us in January there was still so much to play for domestically and in Europe. He slotted in seamlessly and immediately became an integral part of the Chelsea family," Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia said.
"Returning us to the top four in the Premier League was crucial, and we could not be happier with our success in the Champions League which crowned a remarkable season at Chelsea.
"We are obviously extremely pleased therefore to retain Thomas for a further two years, and look forward to more achievements in the coming seasons."
Tuchel's 30 games in charge at Stamford Bridge has yielded 19 wins and just five defeats, with just 16 goals conceded during that time and provides a platform for the team to make a legitimate title challenge next season.
All eyes will now be on the German and his transfer policy, with the coming months his first opportunity to oversee his own additions to the playing squad.
It is thought that a striker and a center-back are among the reinforcements that the German pines for, with former player Romelu Lukaku once again linked to a return to Chelsea as Tuchel attempts to cure the goalscoring woes which had threatened to disrupt their Champions League-winning campaign.
Big money import Timo Werner has struggled in front of goal, with deep lying playmaker Jorginho's seven goals from the penalty spot earning him the title of Chelsea's top Premier League goalscorer - a record which will have to be improved upon if the Blues are to sustain a serious challenge for honors next campaign.
The odds, though, are good - and with Thomas Tuchel now officially signed on for the coming seasons, life is looking rosy for Chelsea supporters.
Also on rt.com ‘MASTERCLASS from Tuchel, Guardiola got it all wrong’: Chelsea boss hailed as Blues beat Man City in Champions League final"We're coming for GOAT status," said one fan in response to the news, while another signalled that Tuchel's repeated successes against Guardiola suggests a changing of the guard in English football.
"In less than a month and a half, Tuchel defeated Guardiola three times, the League, the Cup and the Champions League final, this is not called a lesson, it's called 'teach him'" they said.
Another described Tuchel as "the best manager in Premier League right now and no one even comes close."