Thomas Tuchel to Arsenal Denied by Borussia Dortmund Executive

Borussia Dortmund have revealed they have received no approach from Arsenal about the possibility of manager Thomas Tuchel succeeding Arsene Wenger in the Emirates Stadium dugout next season.  

Tuchel is one of the most heavily linked names to replace Wenger, whose contract with the Gunners expires this summer. However, Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke has insisted Arsenal have not contacted the Bundesliga club about Tuchel, according to David Wright of the Sunday Express: "It is a fact that nobody from Arsenal called us. We're taking about completely fictional stuff here."

Watzke also insisted the idea of Tuchel leaving Dortmund in the summer is far from certain, revealing discussions will take place once the current campaign has concluded: "Some day in May we will sit down and analyse this season. He is still under contract here for another year. That's why I don't understand all the speculation."

Watzke's rebuttal of the Arsenal rumours comes on the heels of Tuchel himself playing down the speculation he will be managing in north London next season.

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The 43-year-old, who took over from present Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp in 2015, recently told reporters he had no knowledge of any links with the top job at Arsenal, per Lee Astley of The Sun: "You know more than me. I can't say anything about that because I don't know anything about it. I'm on a contract with Dortmund and I'm happy here."

Tuchel may be content to play it cool, but his name has still become a regular fixture whenever the subject of Wenger's successor is discussed. In fact, the Daily Mirror's John Cross recently indicated "there is a feeling he could be persuaded to leave Germany for Arsenal."

Meanwhile, Matt Law and Sam Wallace of the Daily Telegraph revealed how "Tuchel has admirers in the corridors of power at the Emirates and could be lured from the German club."

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In many ways, Tuchel represents a strange candidate to replace Wenger, should the 67-year-old call time on his Arsenal tenure in the summer. The positives of Tuchel are the same as the laudable qualities often associated with Wenger.

Those qualities include preaching a dynamic and stylish brand of expansive and attractive football. Dortmund are one of the most exciting attacking outfits in Europe on Tuchel's watch.

He's moved the side away from the press-crazed philosophy of Klopp to a more thoughtful and possession-based, yet arguably more effective style of play. Tuchel's changes have made stars out of players such as striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and midfield pass-master Julian Weigl.

However, for all Tuchel's adherence to football purity, the same foibles that many criticise Wenger for are present in his teams and career. In particular, Dortmund's verve going forward is consistently let down by a leaky defence.

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The club sits fourth in the Bundesliga, 15 points off leaders Bayern Munich, per Sky Sports. It's a position due largely to having conceded 23 goals in 20 domestic matches. Dortmund's defence was also breached nine times during six UEFA Champions League group-stage games this season.

Tuchel has also never won a major trophy as a manager.

These factors would make him a curious choice to replace Wenger, who is often criticised for not having won a league title since 2004. It's a problem usually attributed to an inability to fix defensive vulnerabilities and eradicate a mental block in the biggest games.

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Dortmund aren't ready to let their bright young manager go just yet, but that might not be a bad thing for an Arsenal club maybe in need of a different type of boss than the man still in charge at the Emirates.