Thomas Tuchel is in negotiations with Chelsea over extending his contract while the German claims he is focussing on “my team… and on being competitive”.
The 48-year-present old’s contract runs through 2024. Manager signed that after guiding Chelsea to the 2021 Champions League trophy having initially had an 18-month deal when he replaced the dismissed Frank Lampard in January 2021.
“My people talk to the owners and take care of everything else,” said Tuchel on Friday before of Sunday’s away encounter against Leeds.
“You know how delighted I am to be here and how much I like it.
“There are talks but I think given the situation where we came from, and where we are in the middle of the transfer period, I think it is the very best if I focus on my team and on sports and on being competitive,” he continued.
Tuchel was speaking before the Football Association slapped a one-match suspension and a fine of £35,000 ($41,000) on him after he was thrown off following his angry altercation with Tottenham boss Antonio Conte last Sunday.
Tuchel maintained there was no bad blood between him and Conte and that tempers had flared during the battle, for which both players were fined £15,000.
“Of course we laugh, it’s really necessary to laugh, and laugh at ourselves,” he remarked.
“I was laughing in the changing room; it was the heat of the match and we didn’t insult each other.
“I think the thing would have ended if there were not 20 people around us that make the thing look lot worse than it truly was.
“He (Conte) was battling for his squad, I was fighting for my team. I have nothing but the biggest regard for him.”