Football
Stephan Uersfeld, Germany correspondent 7y

Borussia Dortmund: Thomas Tuchel talks will be held at end of season

Borussia Dortmund will enter contract talks with "extraordinary coach" Thomas Tuchel at the end of the season, CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has told Ruhr Nachrichten.

Dortmund ended a run of two consecutive defeats when they beat Wolfsburg 3-0 at home in front of only 56,906 after the Sudtribune terrace was closed as punishment for violence before the match against RB Leipzig.

Tuchel, who has been touted as a potential successor to Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, is under contract at Dortmund until 2018 and there have been doubts over whether he will stay next season after what has been an up-and-down campaign.

But Watzke said: "Thomas expressed his wish in an interview to talk to us right after the season because he wants to fully focus on sport.

"The season ends in late May, as far as I know, and then there's enough time until he enters the last 12 months of his contract on July 1.

"There will be talks during that period."

Asked what would happen if talks broke down, Watzke said: "We'll have to hold those talks first. That's what they are there for.

"It's a fact that Thomas Tuchel is an extraordinary coach, but we will also have to see whether we agree on the strategic planning of the club, and on communication matters, and a thousand things.

"We'll discuss that in all calmness. That's normal in every club."

Although Tuchel impressed in his first year at the club, he has been criticised for a perceived lack of communication, while there have been allegations of a falling-out with chief scout Sven Mislintat.

Dortmund have been linked with Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Mo Dahoud, and Bild reported on Tuesday that they were closing in on a deal with the Chelsea and Juventus target.

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