Former RB Leipzig manager and chief Ralf Rangnick has claimed that Chelsea initially approached him about the manager's job before landing Thomas Tuchel.

The Blues unexpectedly sacked club legend Frank Lampard in January and immediately replaced him with Tuchel, who himself had lost his job at Paris Saint-Germain a month before.

The 47-year-old has overseen a strong start to life in the capital with four wins and a draw in all competitions, but Rangnick has since claimed that he turned down the opportunity to take the reins at Stamford Bridge.

Speaking to The Times, Rangnick said: "I said: 'I would like to come and work with you, but I can't do it for four months. I'm not an interim coach."

When asked about the prospect of managing an English side, the 62-year-old added: "It would have to be something special. It depends on the club and whether you want to work with a German coach."

Rangnick has been out of management since stepping down from his post at Leipzig in 2019, where he also earned plaudits for his role as head of sport and development.