CHELSEA want Graham Potter in the dugout for Saturday’s west London derby with Fulham.
The Brighton boss held positive opening talks with the Blues chiefs yesterday and is set for further discussions today ahead of agreeing a deal.
The Blues owners ruthlessly axed Thomas Tuchel, 49, yesterday morning after a summer of discontent following their takeover at Stamford Bridge with Tuesday’s Champions League defeat at Dinamo Zagreb the final straw.
Contact was quickly made with Brighton, who gave their approval for talks to commence with Chelsea prepared to pay a minimum of £20million in compensation for Potter.
The top job at Stamford Bridge is Potter’s to lose and should a deal be struck quickly he will be in charge at Craven Cottage this weekend.
If talks break down, which is considered unlikely, Chelsea could talk to former Spurs and PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino
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The Seagulls boss was at the club’s south coast base yesterday morning for a club photoshoot and training ahead of their game at Bournemouth this weekend.
Potter was informed of Chelsea’s interest early yesterday morning and after training the former Ostersunds and Swansea City boss was whisked to London to meet the Blues hierarchy, where they pitched a new long-term project under his leadership.
Potter was told that Boehly wants to move away from the hire and fire approach which was so prevalent under Roman Abramovich, despite sacking Tuchel just 100 days into his ownership at the club.
The decision to sack Tuchel, who won the Champions League, Club World Cup and Uefa Super Cup as Chelsea boss, came just six days after a transfer window in which he was backed with a record-breaking spend of £259.1million.
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Boehly and co-owner Behdad Eghbali, who were in the stands in Zagreb, were at the club’s Cobham training ground to greet Tuchel as he made his way in to begin picking apart the humbling defeat.
But the club chiefs informed the former Borussia Dortmund and Paris-Saint Germain manager that his time was up and despite his plea for more time the meeting was over in ten minutes.
A statement from the club read: “On behalf of everyone at Chelsea FC, the club would like to place on record its gratitude to Thomas and his staff for all their efforts during their time with the Club.
“Thomas will rightly have a place in Chelsea’s history after winning the Champions League, the Super Cup and Club World Cup in his time here.
“As the new ownership group reaches 100 days since taking over the club, and as it continues its hard work to take the club forward, the new owners believe it is the right time to make this transition.”
Tuchel was left “totally shocked” by the timing but quickly packed his bags and left after bidding farewell to staff.
Coach Anthony Barry was left to take first team training, with the decision explained to the squad by Boehly yesterday afternoon.
Tuesday’s defeat was the third of the season, with Leeds United and Southampton both beating the Blues in the Premier League already.
Brighton, by contrast, have made a flying start with four wins from their first six games leaving them fourth in the table, three points ahead of Chelsea.
Potter joining will see him quickly reunited with wing-back Marc Cucurella, who made up £62million of the Stamford Bridge summer spending spree following his move from The Amex.
Potter could bring coaches Billy Reid and Bjorn Hamberg with him to London having worked with both of them at Ostersunds in Sweden and Swansea City in the Championship.
Kyle Macaulay, a long-term recruitment colleague of Potter’s, could also join him at Stamford Bridge.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
