RB Leipzig managing director Oliver Mintzlaff has declined the English Premier League coaching job offer at Chelsea.
The 47-year-old German was one of several candidates in a similar role, but after the transfer window closed.
He told Chelsea he would stay with the German Cup winners, where he has a contract until 2026.
New Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly has expressed his interest in the Red Bull model, with effective farm teams in operation across the globe.
According to reports, American Boehly is now close to appointing Red Bull Salzburg’s sporting director Christoph Freund as the key football man at Stamford Bridge.
RB Leipzig is also hoping to appoint former Borussia Mönchengladbach sporting director Max Eberl to the same role from January.
This is to enable Mintzlaff to concentrate on his original operations role, rather than detailed football analysis.
The post has been vacant for over a year.
