Chelsea fans hail ‘agent Tuchel’ as footage resurfaces of the Blues boss greeting Raphinha last year

Chelsea fans are celebrating manager Thomas Tuchel over the dramatic capture of Leeds winger Raphinha after footage of the Blues boss and Brazilian talking last year resurfaced online. 

Raphinha was being pursued by several top clubs but it had appeared that Arsenal were going to win the race for his signature. 

But as the Gunners regrouped to make an improved second offer, Chelsea and Tuchel swooped in at the last minute to agree a £60million deal with Leeds for the Brazilian and blow Arsenal’s prospects out of the water. 

Footage has resurfaced of Tuchel and Raphinha talking after Chelsea’s 3-2 win over Leeds in December

With Raphinha poised to make his way to west London, elated Blues fans have been eagerly sharing footage online that shows Tuchel and Raphinha talking briefly after Chelsea’s 3-2 win over Leeds at Stamford Bridge in December. 

While the true nature of the discussion between them is unclear, Chelsea fans have wasted no time in getting one over on their Arsenal rivals and jokily claiming the chat as the moment when Tuchel sealed the deal for Raphinha. 

‘Agent Tuchel!!!! Raphinha is going to be a Chelsea player,’ wrote one Chelsea fan account, while another said: ‘The moment Thomas Tuchel personally wrapped up the Raphinha deal’ with a tongue-in-cheek emoji alongside it.

Chelsea gazumped Arsenal with an 11th-hour £60m bid for Raphinha that Leeds have accepted

In the footage itself, a group of fans behind the camera make similar insinuations, with one shouting ‘Get in there Tommy!’ at Tuchel as he talks and another yelling ‘Thomas tap him up!’ to laughter as the Chelsea boss leaves Raphinha.   

‘I knew we were buying Raphinha when I saw this video of him and Tuchel,’ wrote a Chelsea fan with a crying-laughing emoji. ‘Chelsea is Back!!!!’

The final comment is likely in reference to Chelsea’s ambitious plans under its new owners, with chairman Todd Boehly…