Chelsea goalkeeping coach Henrique Hilario has resigned from his post ahead of an expected move to join Thomas Tuchel’s new England set-up.
Tuchel, who worked with the former Blues keeper during his Champions League-winning tenure at Stamford Bridge, will start work with the Three Lions on January 1 and wants Hilario as part of his staff after the previous goalkeeping coach, Martyn Margetson, left with Gareth Southgate.
Hilario spent eight years at Chelsea as a player, winning the FA Cup twice, before returning as part of Antonio Conte’s backroom team in 2016.
Last month, Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca denied that there had been any formal approach for Hilario from the Football Association, but confirmed he would not stand in the Portuguese’s way should he want to take the role.
“We are open-minded in terms of allowing people to take chances,” Maresca said. “Also, we are happy to keep people that want to stay. The ones that want to go, they can go.”
Tuchel has already raided Chelsea once, with performance analyst James Melbourne having already left the club, while the German’s assistant will be English coach Anthony Barry, another former Chelsea employee.
It appears unlikely that the Blues will directly replace Hilario, given the number of goalkeeping specialists already on Maresca’s staff. Michele De Bernardin is also listed as a goalkeeping coach, while Maresca’s assistant is Willy Caballero, the former Chelsea, Manchester City and Argentina ’keeper.
