The Bundesliga side were quick to deny that any agreement had been made, but talks are definitely ongoing and it appears a deal is very close.
A highly sought after tactician, the 41-year old managed Mainz between 2009-2014, where he earned a reputation as a manager who could get the best out of his players. He led the 05ers to a seventh place finish during the 2013-14 season, thus placing Mainz in the third qualifying round on the 2014-15 Europa League.
He began his managerial career with Stuttgart U19s in 2000, where he worked for five years before returning to the team he played for at youth level; FC Augsburg. Tuchel spent three years in Bavaria as a youth co-ordinator, before being given the head coach job at Mainz in August 2009 upon their promotion to the Bundesliga.
Through 182 games with Mainz, Tuchel had a winning percentage of 39.56, with 72 wins, 46 draws and 64 defeats. He left after his side had achieved their best finish under his leadership, asking for his contract to be terminated on May 11th 2014.
Upon his departure, Mainz sporting director Christian Heidel had this to say:
“Contracts have always been adhered to at Mainz. A change without the agreement of Mainz 05 is not possible. And it will stay that way. Fact of the matter is that yesterday Thomas said his goodbye to the team in quite a moving manner,”
There have been no reports of an arguments between the club and the coach. In terms of legal implications, Heidel couldn't say anything "because this is a first.” (from DW.de)
Tuchel, speaking to Sport1, declared that reports he had agreed to become manager of HSV were a “hoax”, while his agent stated to Spiegel that “There wont be a signing of a contract in the next few days, not even an oral agreement.”
Despite both sides playing down the rumours, it is a development that will excite Hamburg fans, with Tuchel potentially being the manager to instill a new exciting philosophy into the club.
