BlueCo has its sights on Kjetil Knutsen to take over Strasbourg. The Bodo/Glimt coach was the sensation of last season's Champions League. His potential arrival could also benefit Chelsea down the line.
Following the departure of Gary O'Neil from Strasbourg — Chelsea's sister club — BlueCo has been in search of a new coach who can keep the team in important places in Ligue 1. L'Equipe indicates they are close to reaching an agreement with Kjetil Knutsen, who currently manages Bodo/Glimt. The team that was the big surprise during the last Champions League season, also known as the "giant killers."
They mention: "His name is a recurring topic of conversation in Strasbourg. Considered on several occasions in recent years, Kjetil Knutsen perhaps has never been so close to joining Alsace.
According to our sources, he is among the finalists to replace Gary O'Neil, along with Wilfried Nancy. At 57, the Norwegian has been the architect of Bodo/Glimt for almost 10 years (376 matches). Among his achievements are four league titles in his country and advancement to the Europa League semifinals in May 2025."
In charge of the Norwegian team, their participation in the Champions League last season was something extraordinary; as we just mentioned, they were nicknamed the giant killers after achieving results such as the 3-1 victory over Manchester City, 2-1 over Atletico Madrid, 3-1 over Inter Milan, and 3-0 over Sporting CP. They turned their home (Aspmyra Stadion) into a complete fortress where the Arctic cold and artificial turf acted as their greatest accomplices.
But it is obvious that not only the cold was the reason the Norwegian team has been giving increasingly greater displays of quality in recent years. It also has to do with Knutsen, who, since 2018 — the date he took charge of the team — has begun to change the players' mentality and game system. As well as fostering the development of the Nordic club's academy.
That is why BlueCo is so interested in taking him to Strasbourg, which will likely also benefit Chelsea itself. If they give him the freedom to work with the team and begin developing the young players, they could, sooner or later, make the jump to Stamford Bridge. Following this custom, the standout players of the French team are "promoted" to the English team when they perform well.
Something that does not completely please the French fans, but well, it is an unwritten rule when a consortium owns two clubs. There are many examples: Mamadou Sarr, Aaron Anselmino, Andrey Santos, Kendry Paez, etc. Whether it is right or not, we leave it to each person's interpretation, but what is certain is that it benefits Chelsea for Strasbourg to do well.
