CHELSEA have SACKED Graham Potter after just seven months in charge and £330million spent in the January transfer window.
Potter was hired on a five-year deal worth £12m-a-year after Champions League-winning manager Thomas Tuchel was axed following a poor start to the season.
However, ex-Brighton boss Potter has been unable to turn the club’s Chelsea’s fortunes around with the Blues sliding to 11th in the top-flight after their 2-0 home defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday.
Bruno Saltor will take charge of the West Londoners until a permanent successor for Potter is appointed.
A club statement read: “Chelsea FC has announced that Graham Potter has departed the club. Graham has agreed to collaborate with the Club to facilitate a smooth transition.
“In his time with the club, Graham has taken us to the quarter-final of the Champions League, where we will face Real Madrid.
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“Chelsea would like to thank Graham for all his efforts and contribution and wish him well for the future.”
“Bruno Saltor will take charge of the team as Interim Head Coach.”
SunSport revealed this evening that Potter held crunch talks with the Blues brass at the club’s Cobham training ground on Sunday afternoon.
Potter met with Global Head of Transfers Paul Winstanley and Technical Director Laurence Stewart – both of whom recommended to the board that he be sacked.
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He then met with co-owner Behdad Eghbali before being relieved of his duties.
A joint statement from Boehly and Behdad Eghbali read: “On behalf of everyone at the club, we want to thank Graham sincerely for his contribution to Chelsea.
“We have the highest degree of respect for Graham as a coach and as a person.
“He has always conducted himself with professionalism and integrity and we are all disappointed in this outcome.
“Along with our incredible fans, we will all be getting behind Bruno and the team as we focus on the rest of the season.
“We have 10 Premier League games remaining and a Champions League quarter-final ahead.
“We will put every effort and commitment into every one of those games so that we can end the season on a high.”
Blues fans were over the moon at Potter being relieved of his duties, with one tweeting: “Finally we are free.”
Another said: “Congratulations to us all.”
And another said: “Am I dreaming? Did they finally do this? Love it.”
One chimed in: “Goodbye and good riddance as well as thanks for finally listening to the supporters.”
Potter, 47, leaves Chelsea with the WORST record of any Blues manager in the Premier League era, being dismissed after a horror run.
The former Brighton boss leaves Stamford Bridge with the worst points-per-game record of Blues bosses who have managed more than 20 games – picking up an average of 1.27 points per game.
Potter won seven of his 22 league matches in charge of the club, drew seven and lost eight.
That translated to the Blues collecting a mere 28 points from an available 66.
Potter fared slightly better in Europe, with the Blues set to face Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals this month.
However, he still only won 12 of his 31 games in charge.
Former Spurs and PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino is one of the favourites for the Chelsea job now, with Julian Nagelsmann also available after his Bayern Munich sacking – himself replaced by ex-Blues man Tuchel.
And reports claim new technical director Christian Vivell is “pushing” for the German to replace Potter.
Pochettino, 50, remains a free agent having been sacked by Paris Saint-Germain in June 2022 despite leading them to the French title.
Other candidates include former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane, former Spain manager Luis Enrique, Eintracht Frankfurt’s Oliver Glasner, and even two-time former Blues boss Jose Mourinho.
The Portuguese boss won three Premier League titles, the FA Cup and three League Cups over two spells in West London.
Potter’s sacking is a major U-turn for the new Chelsea board.
Boehly had thrown his support behind Potter, who the club believed was the man to rejuvenate the squad.
Boehly and his fellow investors splashed out £330m on new signings in January, taking their total spending this season well clear of £600m.
Potter, however, struggled to find the right blend for the new recruits including £107m star Enzo Fernandez and £88m winger Mykhailo Mudryk.
Although they were understood to be backing Potter during a difficult transition period, Blues chiefs ultimately decided they need to see more bang for their buck.
Potter saw his side slump to a TENTH Premier League defeat of the season as they went down 2-0 at home to Aston Villa on Saturday evening.
That took Chelsea’s dire record in the league to just three wins in their last 13 since the turn of the year.
And unsurprisingly, a rising number of Blues supporters want to see the under-fire ex-Brighton chief relieved of his duties.
Some Chelsea fans started a petition to have Potter sacked in February after running out of patience with the inexperienced manager.
The club now face a hunt for a new manager, just a few months after sacking Tuchel, who led the Blues to the Champions League in 2021.
Potter’s departure leaves Chelsea in chaos, less than a year after the takeover.
The next manager is a huge appointment for the new owners.
Boehly heads up a consortium – along with Behdad Eghbali of Clearlake Capital – that bought Chelsea for £4.25billion last year from Roman Abramovich.
Potter’s appointment as Blues boss was never received warmly by the Stamford Bridge faithful.
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It came on the back of the controversial dismissal of the beloved Tuchel.
And to make matters worse, Tuchel is now in charge of German champions Bayern Munich – who ran riot against title rivals Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
