Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand says he's been told Chelsea's new owners were interfering in the work of recently sacked manager Thomas Tuchel.

New owner Todd Boehly relieved Tuchel from his duties after Chelsea lost 1-0 to Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League and moved swiftly to appoint former Brighton boss Graham Potter as his replacement.

Ferdinand said on Vibe with Five: "It's a big thing with a manager being sacked and the way it happened.

"I met him and did an interview with him just prior to that about his Chelsea team and the way it's structured and his plans going forward. It was just really mad and it was surreal really when I heard the news coming through because the way he was talking to me on and off screen was like he was delighted to be there.

"I've spoken to people behind the scenes and from good sources it was as much a surprise to the coaching staff as it was to everyone outside. The staff had spent a lot of time speaking to the owners and from what I'm told Tuchel and his team had never had as much engagement with owners at any point in their careers.

"There's hands on and there's too much. From what I hear they were getting their noses too into things that should be left to a manager."

Reports surfaced last week of Boehly drawing up plans to play '4-4-3', as well as trying to impact player selection in the matchday squad.

Ferdinand slammed Boehly for his reported actions, claiming he didn't blame Tuchel if he distanced himself from the American.

"Can you get away with one extra player on the pitch? I've heard those stories, they're trying to influence even player selection and when you get to that point you can start to understand why a manager would have some pushback.

"Tuchel, the personality and character he is, he wouldn't have accepted that, some other characters will do as new owners say but Thomas Tuchel isn't that guy."