GRAHAM POTTER has been sacked as Chelsea manager.
Blues owner Todd Boehly has wielded the axe after a horror run of form despite spending over £330m.
Potter moved from Brighton to Chelsea to take up the role last September, replacing Thomas Tuchel.
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Exclusive – Chelsea no rush for new boss
Chelsea are in no rush to appoint a new manager.
Julian Nagelsmann is the early favourite for the Stamford Bridge hotseat after the Blues sacked Graham Potter on Sunday.
But SunSport understands owner Todd Boehly is preparing for a long and thorough search for a new boss after seeing his first appointment flop inside seven months.
The Blues sacked Graham Potter after just seven months in charge and £330million spent in the January transfer window on Sunday.
Potter’s unwanted record
Graham Potter leaves Chelsea with the joint-worst record of any manager in the club’s history during the Premier League era.
Potter lasted just six months in charge having replaced Champions League winner Thomas Tuchel last September.
Potter departs having won just SEVEN of his 22 league games in charge, drawing the same amount of times while losing eight.
His last came on Saturday at home to Aston Villa, with the 2-0 defeat enough to seal his fait.
With a 1.27 points per game rate, only Glenn Hoddle faired as badly as Potter, leaving with the same PPG.
Remarkable Rodgers stat
SUNDAY marked the first time in eight years that TWO Premier League managers lost their jobs on the same day.
And remarkably Brendan Rodgers was involved in both.
Rodgers and Potter are the first Premier League managers to lose their job on the same day mid-season since 4 October, 2015.
Amazingly, Rodgers had been sacked on that day too by Liverpool while Dick Advocaat resigned from Sunderland.
The Reds got rid of Rodgers, who had led them to a second-placed finish in 2014, after three and a half years in charge after dropping down to tenth in the table.
Dutchman Advocaat kept Sunderland up the year prior and was declared a hero on Wearside but he walked away after failing to pick up a top-flight win in the first two months of the following campaign.
Credit: Reuters
What Chelsea’s statement said
Chelsea announced Potter’s sacking in a statement on their website shortly after 8pm tonight.
It 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. Chelsea would like to thank Graham for all his efforts and contribution and wish him well for the future.”
Bruno Saltor taking the reins
Bruno Saltor will take interim charge of Chelsea after Graham Potter’s sacking.
Saltor played under Potter at Brighton before joining him on the coaching staff at Chelsea.
Credit: Getty Gary Lineker tweets
Gary Lineker commented: “Another one bites the dust. Graham Potter the latest to be fired.”
Chelsea sunk to a 2-0 defeat at home to Aston Villa on Saturday, their TENTH loss of the season.
And despite the Stamford Bridge board showing faith to Potter and his project in the past, enough proved enough.
Carragher reaction
Jamie Carragher joined fans in trolling Todd Boehly after Graham Potter was sacked – with Chelsea called “the worst run club in world football.”
Potter was only hired in September in replace of Champions League winner Thomas Tuchel.
And the comparisons between ex-Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and Todd Boehly were quickly made by fans online.
Liverpool legend Carragher tweeted: “Todd said he would be different to Roman.
“I feel for Graham Potter, but it was inevitable. You don’t change Tuchel for Potter. Ridiculous decision to start with.”
Credit: Alamy More on Nagelsmann
Julian Nagelsmann made his name at RB Leipzig and was hired by Bayern after Hansi Flick left to take over at Germany.
The young manager won the Bundesliga last season but was sacked this month due to off-field dillemas.
Nagelsmann is a frontrunner to take over at Chelsea, with the Stamford Bridge board said to be admirers.
Credit: Getty Images – Getty Todd Boehly’s statement
Chelsea owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali said: “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.”
Next manager odds
Julian Nagelsmann is favourite for the Chelsea job following the departure of Graham Potter.
That’s according to bookmakers Betfair, who believe Nagelsmann is the clear frontrunner for the vacant position having priced him at 10/11 to succeed Potter at Stamford Bridge.
- Julian Nagelsmann – 10/11
- Mauricio Pochettino – 7/2
- Zinedine Zidane – 6/1
- Pep Guardiola – 17/2
- Oliver Glasner – 10/1
- Ruben Amorim – 10/1
- Luis Enrique – 11/1
- Diego Simeone – 12/1
- Brendan Rodgers – 12/1
- Thomas Frank – 12/1
- Jose Mourinho – 14/1
Talks took place today
SunSport revealed this evening that Blues chief Todd Boehly had held crunch talks with Potter at the club’s Cobham training ground on Sunday afternoon.
And the American ultimately decided to wield the axe for the second time this season as the club is currently toiling in 11th place in the Prem table.
Julian Nagelsmann is the favourite
The German is without a job having been surprisingly sacked by Bayern Munich and replaced by ex-Blues boss Tuchel.
Nagelsmann made his name at RB Leipzig and was hired by Bayern after Hansi Flick left to take over at Germany.
The young manager won the Bundesliga last season but was sacked this month due to off-field dillemas.
Nagelsmann is a frontrunner to take over at Chelsea, with the Stamford Bridge board said to be admirers.
Credit: PA Chelsea’s latest mangerial hunt
Chelsea now face a hunt for a new manager, just a few months after sacking Thomas 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.
£330m investment
Toddy Boehly and his fellow investors splashed £330m on new signings in January, taking their total spending well clear of £600m.
Graham 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, they did want to see more bang for their buck.
Bruno Saltor in charge
Bruno Saltor will take interim charge of Chelsea after Graham Potter’s sacking.
Saltor played under Potter at Brighton before joining him on the coaching staff at Chelsea.
Credit: Getty
Todd Boehly breaks silence
Co-controlling owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali added: “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.”
Credit: REX Breaking – Chelsea statement
Chelsea have released a statement on Graham Potter.
The Blues wrote: “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. Chelsea would like to thank Graham for all his efforts and contribution and wish him well for the future.”
Credit: Getty Who could replace Potter?
After Julian Nagelsmann, 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.
Breaking – Potter sacked by Chelsea
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 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.
The 47-year-old Englishman leaves Chelsea with the WORST record of any Blues manager in the Premier League era, being dismissed after a horror run.
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 Thomas Tuchel.
Pochettino, 50, remains a free agent having been sacked by Paris Saint-Germain in June 2022 despite leading them to the French title.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
