Chelsea Football Club contacted RB Leipzig managing director Oliver Mintzlaff about joining the English Premier League side in a similar role but the German declined the offer.
The 47-year-old was one of several candidates 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 are also hoping to appoint former Borussia Mönchengladbach sporting director Max Eberl to the same role from January.
This is to enable Mintzlaff concentrate on his original operations role, rather than detailed football analysis.
The post has been vacant for over a year.(dpa/NAN)
