Ralf Rangnick has rubbished speculation linking Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel with the Manchester United job.
It is an uncertain time for the Blues at the moment, after the UK government imposed sanctions on owner Roman Abramovich earlier in the week, with the club now unable to negotiate contracts with current players and recruit from elsewhere.
Tuchel has been linked with a surprise move to Man United in recent days following the sanctions, with the Red Devils on the lookout for their next permanent boss.
Rangnick, who is the interim manager at Old Trafford until the end of the season, has denied speculation linking his German compatriot Tuchel with the permanent position at the Red Devils.
Speaking on Friday, Rangnick said: "It doesn't make sense at all to even think or speculate about that. Yes, Thomas Tuchel is a top manager. Yes, I know him well. Yes, he was a player of mine in Ulm. Yes, he took his first job as a football coach in Stuttgart when I was the head coach there.
"We all know that but he is the manager of Chelsea right now, they're third, they're still in the Champions League and only because there are issues now around the ownership of this club, to speculate about maybe him being a candidate for the manager's here in the summer doesn't make sense to do that."
All Tuchel can focus on right now is the matters on the pitch. The Chelsea boss led his side to a 3-1 win against Norwich City on Thursday evening and they have the chance to make it five Premier League victories in a row on Sunday as they face Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Friday, Tuchel insisted the best way for his players to take themselves away from all the behind the scenes action is to keep winning games.
He said: "It's always the best way to carry on winning. Also, for us, it's maybe in the moment a bit more difficult because of the noise.
"Some players will feel uncertainty. Some may be will be a bit frightened. Some will be concerned. It's normal.
"And it's not only about the players. We have a lot of people on the staff at the club who are maybe also worried and scared and uncertain. That’s why it’s very important that we keep the trust and the belief within the training centre and in all of us.
"We rely on ourselves and, in the end, allow ourselves to be the guys who take care of the sport because we did not cause the situation and we cannot solve the situation.
"It can also give us the freedom, in the end, to still enjoy what we are doing and still follow the responsibility to give everything, and that's what we demand of ourselves.
"This is what we do and I’m happy we can still produce results and performances. We will be on it again to be ready for Sunday."
