Chelsea transfer news

NEW Chelsea manager Graham Potter will have to immediately deliver at Stamford Bridge or risk getting sacked.That is according to Blues legend Gus Poyet, who suggested Potter could have the same fate as his predecessor Thomas Tuchel if he doesn’t win any trophies this season.
Graham Potter was appointed as new Chelsea boss after Thomas Tuchel’s dismissalCredit: Getty
Chelsea boss Graham Potter will have to deliver or risk getting sackedCredit: PA
Chelsea legend and Greece manager Gus Poyet hopes Graham Potter will get timeCredit: PA
Tuchel failed to win any domestic honours last season and was dismissed after a poor start to the campaign by new owner Todd Boehly.
Greece boss Poyet claims Potter knows what he “signed up for” as Chelsea always challenge for trophies and failure has led to notable sackings, like Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti and Antonio Conte.
However, the Uruguayan tactician hopes the West Londoners’ new head coach will get adequate time to prove himself.
Poyet told Midnite: “Potter knows what he signed up for.
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“All of us managers think we are prepared to manage Real Madrid tomorrow if needed, but we don’t know how to handle it – when you start dealing with the chairman, the owner, with the pressure of constantly winning trophies.
“Remember, Chelsea are a team that needs to win trophies, and they did not win any domestic ones last year.
“We’ve seen in the past, coaches who have won the Premier League or the double, if they don’t perform the following season, they’re out.
“It happened to Mourinho, Ancelotti, Conte, [Roberto] Di Matteo and now to Tuchel. This gives you a good idea of what could happen.
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“It’s a new owner, we don’t know what is going to happen, but let’s think Potter is going to have time for sure.”
Potter is expected to take charge of his first Chelsea match on Wednesday in the Champions League against Red Bull Salzburg at Stamford Bridge. More

MANCHESTER United legend Paul McGrath says Chelsea have made a mistake with Graham Potter – and should have gone for Mauricio Pochettino or Zinedine Zidane instead.The Blues officially unveiled Potter as their new manager on a whopping five-year contract last week after paying Brighton £20m compensation.
Mauricio Pochettino missed out on the Chelsea jobCredit: AFP
Zinedine Zidane was also initially linked with the Blues after Thomas Tuchel was axedCredit: Getty
Potter, 47, will earn just over £10m a year – far more than sacked predecessor Tuchel, who has revealed his devastation at being axed, from his £8m a year post.
Former Real Madrid manager Zidane, who led them to three Champions League crowns, and ex-Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain boss Pochettino were both linked to the job initially.
And McGrath, who played for both Manchester United and Aston Villa, says Poch “must be wondering what on earth is going on” after Potter beat him to the post.
The 62-year-old former Republic of Ireland star wrote in the Sunday World: “When you are Chelsea and you need a manager, it behoves a club that were European Champions last year and are World Club Champions to get nothing but the best.
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“And right now ‘nothing but the best,’ in terms of available managers, meant either Zinedine Zidane or Mauricio Pochettino.
“Instead of going for either man who are free agents, Chelsea paid, it is believed, a total of £22 million to loosen Potter and his coaches from their Brighton contracts. It makes no sense to me.
“I know Zidane seems to want to wait for the French national team job after the World Cup finals, but Chelsea are not short of the money that would have turned his head. While Pochettino must be wondering what on earth is going on.”
He added: “Both Manchester United and Chelsea have now passed over a manager good enough to get Spurs to a Champions League final. That makes no sense to me either.”
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Despite Potter’s lack of experience at the top table of European football, the Blues view the Englishman as one of the hottest prospects in European coaching.
Potter has led Brighton to a flying start to the season with four wins from six games, including an opening day victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Since succeeding Chris Hughton at The Amex, the former defender has transformed the squad and style of play on the South Coast.
Graham Potter moved to Chelsea from Brighton last weekCredit: Getty
Paul McGrath believes that the Blues have missed a trickCredit: PA:Empics Sport More

GRAHAM POTTER might have to stop living beside the seaside after taking the Chelsea job.The 47-year-old married dad-of-three has settled in at a house on the south coast since his appointment at Brighton boss three years ago.
Graham Potter and his assistant Billy Reid have both made the switch from Brighton to ChelseaCredit: Getty
But his new five-year deal with the Blues and growing resentment from Albion fans might lead him to relocate to be closer to London, according to The Athletic.
They report that Potter’s family home near the seafront in Hove is a ‘manageable 75-minute drive’ from Chelsea’s training ground in Cobham, Surrey.
That kind of geography makes it a realistic option for him to stay put and commute.
But the higher levels scrutiny at the five-time Premier League winners could end the ‘relative anonymity’ he has enjoyed since his return to English football in 2018.
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The Athletic also point out that a ‘shift in mood among Brighton supporters’ in the wake of Potter’s exit might influence his thinking.
Seagulls fans were said to be ‘resigned’ to losing Potter, assistant Billy Reid, coach Bjorn Hamberg and recruitment analyst Kyle Macaulay when the Prem giants came calling last week.

However, their report adds: “But a wave of anger broke out among fans on social media when it was announced that long-serving pair Bruno Saltor (assistant coach) and Ben Roberts (goalkeeping coach) have gone with Potter, too.”
Former Ostersund and Swansea chief Potter looks set to make his bow as Blues boss in Wednesday’s Champions League clash with RB Salzburg.
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He then has a testing nine-game run of European and domestic fixtures taking him up to an October 29 return to the Amex Stadium with his new superstar squad.
Whether his journey to work for that Prem clash is from nearby Hove or a new home closer to the capital remains to be seen. More

CHELSEA have offered N’Golo Kante a new three-year contract, according to reports… but the Frenchman wants four.The midfielder, 31, has entered the final season of his current deal at Stamford Bridge.
N’Golo Kante has missed five of Chelsea’s seven matches this seasonCredit: Getty
Concerns exist surrounding his injury record, but the Blues remain keen to keep the Frenchman.
According to The Athletic, Chelsea’s former owners had proposed a three-year extension with the option of a fourth.
Talks paused as the club were taken over by Todd Boehly, before a new verbal offer was made last month.
The fresh terms, however, only included two years plus the option of a third.
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As it stands Kante is not willing to accept such a deal as he wants the security of a longer contract.
The highly-rated star is happy at Stamford Bridge and would be willing to play there for the rest of his career.

But as it stands, Kante could walk away as a free agent next summer – and even negotiate with clubs overseas in January.
Chelsea chiefs are taking his troublesome injury record into consideration, with the star having already missed five of his side’s seven matches so far this campaign.
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Should he fail to agree terms with the Blues, Kante is claimed to have two interested suitors in the Premier League – as well as others in Spain, Germany and France.
Kalidou Koulibaly, also 31, was awarded the four-year contract that Kante covets following his summer transfer from Napoli.
Kante has made 262 appearances for Chelsea since joining from Leicester in 2016 – winning a Premier League title, FA Cup, Champions League, Europa League, Club World Cup and Uefa Super Cup during his time in West London. More

CHELSEA could bring a handful of global superstars to Stamford Bridge if Luis Campos joins as sporting director.Owner Todd Boehly is keen on the Portuguese chief and the club have reportedly made contact with the Paris Saint-Germain chief.
Chelsea could welcome a handful of superstars to the squad in January
Cristiano Ronaldo could try and leave Manchester United again in JanuaryCredit: Alamy
Neymar is a long-term transfer target of ChelseaCredit: Getty
Chelsea plan to spend big once again in January so are determined to have a sporting director in place before the transfer window re-opens.
Boehly was responsible for conducting Chelsea’s transfer activity in the summer and was keen to add star quality to the squad in Cristiano Ronaldo.
And the American could appoint Campos to help bring Ronaldo to West London, having clashed with Thomas Tuchel after the former boss rejected the chance to sign the Manchester United forward.
CR7 was keen to leave Manchester United in the summer and his team-mates believe the striker is angling for a January move, SunSport have revealed.
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Ronaldo was also said to be keen on joining Chelsea and could lead the line for Graham Potter’s side if he signs in January.
He could be joined in attack by Neymar – a long-term Blues target.
Paris Saint-Germain reportedly offered the Brazilian to Chelsea on deadline day and Campos could make signing the winger a priority if he joins the Blues.
With Campos at the helm Chelsea would see an increased likelihood of landing PSG captain Marquinhos too, having previously been rejected by the defender.
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Adding the PSG pair to the squad would likely mean another huge outlay for Boehly – but he has shown he is prepared to spend big.
Last month Gary Neville accused the Chelsea owner of treating the club like he is playing football manager.
Boehly had a scattergun approach in the window and was forced into spending heavily on the likes of Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana after missing out on other transfer targets, such as Jules Kounde. More