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      Sacking Thomas Tuchel doesn’t scream ‘same old Chelsea’ as brave Todd Boehly opts for modest, low-profile Graham Potter

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      WHEN Thomas Tuchel was brutally sacked on Wednesday, the temptation was to shrug your shoulders and say: “New owner, same old Chelsea”.After all Todd Boehly, the frontman for the Blues’ new ownership, had just sanctioned a record £259.1MILLION summer transfer spend, only to axe a popular manager six days after the window shut.
      Tuchel was sacked by Chelsea on Wednesday morningCredit: Getty
      Potter looks set to be appointed the new Chelsea bossCredit: Getty
      But while that sacking came straight out of the Roman Abramovich playbook, Boehly’s decisive approach for Brighton boss Graham Potter was a major departure.
      Potter is a modest, low-profile, over-achieving British boss, quite unlike any manager appointed by Chelsea over the previous 20 years — or by any of the Premier League’s “Big Six” in the best part of a decade.
      So his imminent appointment is an intriguing one.
      Of course, we still had to stifle giggles at reports of Chelsea selling Potter the idea of a “long-term project”.
      READ MORE ON CHELSEA
      Especially given that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, a 33-year-old loose cannon, had just been bought from Barcelona on the say-so of his old Borussia Dortmund boss Tuchel — only to see him sacked after 59 minutes of football for his new club.
      Boehly is a very different owner to Abramovich — a hands-on, front-of-house, limelight-hogger.
      He is also a Hollywood type, in thrall to celebrity.
      We know that the American hoped to sign Cristiano Ronaldo, 37, when the ageing Galactico wanted out of Manchester United this summer, but was given short shrift by Tuchel.
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      So perhaps the idea of a “long-term project”, is just the latest short-lived idea to have occurred to Boehly.
      There was much amusement at the briefings, in the immediate aftermath of Tuchel’s exit, that Chelsea had drawn up a three-man shortlist, which included Potter, Mauricio Pochettino and Zinedine Zidane.
      This seemed to sum up Boehly’s scattergun approach to running the club: “So, the sort of manager we want is a former Football League left-back, who’s worked his way up through the Swedish lower leagues and done brilliantly on a low budget at Brighton.
      “Either that or one of the greatest footballers the world has ever seen, who’s won three European Cups but never managed anyone other than Real Madrid. So, yeah, that’s the kind of profile we’ve narrowed it down to.”
      Yet Potter was clearly the No 1 choice on that shortlist.
      He has enjoyed sustained success in sensible, stable environments at Swedish club Ostersunds and at Brighton, either side of a single season with Swansea City.
      But he is now going to the most wildly unstable club on the planet.
      A brief summary of Chelsea Football Club since 2010 says it all — from winning the Double, to meltdown, to winning the Champions League, to meltdown, to winning the Premier League, to complete and utter meltdown, to winning the Premier League, to meltdown… 
      From transfer embargo, to becoming European and world champions, to having an owner sanctioned for links to a land war in Europe, to a record summer transfer spend, to sacking the manager who chose those players.
      So it is fair to say that Potter is heading into unfamiliar territory and it’s no surprise that when he met Chelsea on Wednesday afternoon, it was a case of Boehly having to sell the job to the Seagulls boss, rather than vice versa.
      In the past decade, only one Englishman has been named as a “Big Six” boss — Frank Lampard.
      But he was a very different kind of appointment to Potter — a club legend installed to reconnect the club with its roots and promote a talented group of youth players during a transfer embargo.
      Potter is being appointed entirely on merit and deserves the step up.
      Yet this appointment is high-risk for club and manager, not least because of the hefty compensation fee Chelsea will pay Brighton, on top of the vast pay-off for Tuchel and his staff.
      Chelsea owner Boehly, right, looks set to replace Tuchel with PotterCredit: PA
      At the Seagulls, Potter enjoyed the virtues of patience and modest expectations.
      He was not an immediate success and, throughout his time at the Amex, was able to ride out some poor runs of form, especially at home, where they won just once in 14 matches between September and May last season.
      The 47-year-old Brummie is entering a shark pool — where player power remains a greater factor than at any of England’s other major clubs and where owners, new to football, appear to be fumbling in the dark.
      Potter does not have the charisma or fame to demand instant respect.
      He will have to win over Chelsea’s players with the quality of his coaching and man-management.
      It will be fascinating to see how he handles some big egos, especially Aubameyang who was stripped of the Arsenal captaincy and bombed out by Mikel Arteta.
      Chelsea have shelled out £160m on the defensive trio of Wesley Fofana, Kalidou Koulibaly and Marc Cucurella, from Potter’s Brighton.
      Yet they haven’t kept a clean sheet in six matches and conceded ten goals.
      Potter must revive fortunes after a poor start in both the Premier League and the Champions League after Tuchel presided over successive away defeats at Southampton, Leeds and Dinamo Zagreb.
      Yet however humble and sensible Potter is, he remains ambitious.
      Had he turned down the chance to manage Chelsea, other major clubs may have shied away.
      Read More on The Sun
      And Boehly’s Blues, for all the early chaos, does not feel like the “same old Chelsea” of the Abramovich era.
      The decision to go for Potter suggests it. And if Boehly sticks with his idea of a “long-term project”, then we will know as much. More

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      Miralem Pjanic completes shock Sharjah FC free transfer as Barcelona terminate contract after just 19 LaLiga games

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      BARCELONA midfielder Miralem Pjanic has made a shock switch to Sharjah FC after having his contract terminated at the Nou Camp.The 32-year-old, who joined the Catalan giants in 2020, moves to the UAE-based club for free until 2024, with the option of a further year.
      Pjanic has seen his Barcelona contract terminated ahead of a free transfer to the UAECredit: Getty
      Barcelona facilitated the move by ripping up his contract – which wasn’t due to expire for another two seasons.
      A club statement read: “Barcelona and Miralem Pjanić have reached an agreement to release the player from the contract binding the player to the club until the end of the 2023/24 season.
      “The club publicly expresses its gratitude to the player for his professionalism, dedication and commitment and for always adapting his contract to the club’s situations and needs.
      “It wishes him every success and fortune in the future.”
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      Moments after Barcelona’s announcement, the switch to Sharjah was confirmed.
      Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano tweeted: “Official, confirmed. Miralem Pjanić leaves Barcelona and joins Sharjah FC on permanent deal, contract valid until June 2024 with option until June 2025.
      “Deal signed after agreement reached last Monday.”
      Pjanic made 30 appearances for Barcelona in the 2020/21 campaign after joining from Juventus – with 19 of those coming in LaLiga.
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      Last year the Bosnian was shipped out on loan to Turkey where he spent a season with Besiktas, playing 26 times.
      Upon returning to the Nou Camp, Pjanic has been on the bench for every one of Barcelona’s games so far this season.
      And he has not received a single minute of action – although does have a new hairline after his Turkish stint.
      The likes of Pedri, Gavi, Frenkie de Jong and Sergio Busquets are all ahead of Pjanic in the Nou Camp pecking order.
      Now he has departed European football altogether and moved to the Middle East.
      In joining UAE outfit Sharjah FC, the midfielder will be linking up with Paco Alcacer.
      Read More on The Sun
      The only trophy Pjanic has to show for his time at Barcelona is the Copa del Rey, which he won in 2021.
      However, he did win four Serie A titles and two Coppa Italias with Juventus. More

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      Wolves appeal for Diego Costa work permit ACCEPTED with ex-Chelsea star flying to England tonight ahead of free transfer

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      WOLVES have reportedly had their work permit appeal for Diego Costa accepted.The former Chelsea and Atletico Madrid striker is now due to fly to England tonight to finalise his switch to Molineux.
      File photo dated 18-02-2020 of Atletico Madrid’s Diego Costa. Wolves have appealed against the decision to reject Diego Costa’s work permit application. Issue date: Tuesday September 6, 2022. PA Photo. See PA story SOCCER Wolves. Photo credit should read Nick Potts/PA Wire.Credit: PA
      His medical has already been arranged and now he looks set to pen a one-year contract to seal his return to the Premier League.
      Spanish international Costa only missed out on the work permit by two points.
      The 33-year-old had to gain 15 points on the Home Office’s points-based system to be given their blessing to play in the UK – but Costa fell just short with 13.
      The main objection to the Brazilian-born forward’s bid to sign for Wolves centred around his lack of recent match-time at club level and recent lack of international appearances for Spain.
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      Costa only made 19 appearances for his previous club Atletico Mineiro and hasn’t played competitively since December, prior to terminating his contract with the Brazilian club in January.
      However the fact his initial application was rejected by such a narrow margin encouraged Wolves to push ahead with an appeal.
      Now Fabrizio Romano has offered this update on Twitter: “Wolves appeal for Diego Costa’s work permit/appeal has been accepted.
      “Diego will fly to England later tonight to discuss final details of the free transfer. Medical tests have been scheduled and it will be a key step to proceed — one year contract ready.”
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      The Molineux club focused their appeal on the exceptional career Costa enjoyed and his pedigree as an elite athlete, which saw him perform at the highest level for club and country for over a decade.
      Costa, who turns 34 next month, failed to meet the FA’s required threshold and failed to receive their endorsement but Wolves were always hopeful that they could bridge the gap as they supplied further evidence of the player’s unique situation.
      They pointed out that Spain are currently ranked 6th in the world by Fifa and unlikely to recall Costa once he returned to the nation of his birth.
      The Stamford Bridge legend is keen to answer Wolves SOS for a striker after new £15million signing Sasa Kalajdzic suffered an ACL injury on his debut against Southampton, which will sideline him for most of the season. More

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      Man Utd ready to open talks with Marcus Rashford over new contract amid PSG transfer interest

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      MANCHESTER UNITED are ready to open talks with Marcus Rashford over a new contract after his sparkling start to the new season.Rashford has scored three goals in the last four games, including what proved to be the winner against Liverpool and a double in the impressive 3-1 victory over league leaders Arsenal on Sunday.
      Man Utd are ready to discuss a new contract with PSG target Marcus RashfordCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      It was a signal that the 24-year-old is getting back to his best again under new boss Erik ten Hag.
      He has just this season left on his current deal although the club have an option to extend that for a further year.
      But United are eager to tie him down to a new five-year contract to erase any doubts about his future.
      Ten Hag was unequivocal when asked if he wants to keep him at Old Trafford long term.
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      He said: “Definitely. United control the situation.”
      Interim boss Ralf Rangnick was always frustrated that Rashford could not transfer his performances in training onto the pitch come match day.
      But Rashford like a lot of the players was not happy last season and that has changed.
      Ten Hag said: “I see a happy Marcus Rashford, I see some phases in his game we could improve and we worked really hard the last two and a half months with him on different aspects and he really likes it.
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      “He wants to transfer it to the pitch. It starts with happiness, he comes in every day smiling.”
      Rashford was thinking about a move away from Old Trafford for the first time during last season.
      His representatives even had a meeting with PSG officials last month.
      Rashford had fallen out of the England reckoning with the World Cup round the corner, and wondered whether a move could revive his career.
      He scored just five goals last season and none since notching the only goal of the game in the 90th minute against West Ham last January.
      Ten Hag however was convinced he could get him back to his best.
      NO RASH DECISIONS
      In a team meeting following the 4-0 humiliation against Brentford, Rashford also challenged the boss to give him the run at number nine he had apparently promised him.
      Ten Hag has done just that with Rashford starting ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo.
      United take on Real Sociedad in the Europa League tomorrow night and that could see Ronaldo returning to the side as Ten Hag rotates his players.
      Ronaldo has not started since the defeat to Brentford.
      The match will give Ten Hag the chance to give new £70million buy Casemiro a start too after being kept out the side by Scott McTominay.
      It shows the strength in depth Ten Hag now has after bringing in six new players in the summer.
      Read More on The Sun
      He said: “For players not in the team they can at any moment come in, do the job and maybe do better than the ones who are in.
      “But you need more than 11 players to become successful. We have really good players and when they come on they contribute to the success we have.” More

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      Chelsea SACK Thomas Tuchel LIVE: Graham Potter heads for talks with Blues, Zidane and Pochettino in frame – latest news

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      GRAHAM POTTER is favourite to succeed Thomas Tuchel as Chelsea manager after the German was sacked.The Brighton boss is heading to London for talks with the West London club.
      Zinedine Zidane and Mauricio Pochettino have also been lined up as potential replacements as odds tumble on the favourites.
      Anthony Barry will take over as interim manager while the club look to appoint a permanent replacement.
      A Blues statement said: “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. 
      “Chelsea’s coaching staff will take charge of the team for training and the preparation of our upcoming matches as the club moves swiftly to appoint a new head coach.”

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      Stay up to date with all the latest from Stamford Bridge…
      Silent Chelsea squad on Tuchel
      All but one of Chelsea’s squad has remained silent on social media after Thomas Tuchel’s sacking.
      Wesley Fofana was the only player as he took to Instagram to share a photo with him.
      He may have only just joined and has known Tuchel the shortest amount of time but the Frenchman is the only one to wish him farewell.

      Bark-ing mad
      Nice boss Lucien Favre seemingly didn’t know what position new signing Ross Barkley played in before signing him.
      The former England international has joined the Ligue 1 club after his Chelsea contract was terminated.
      During a press conference on Wednesday, a journalist asked Farve: “In your mind, is he [Barkley] more of a six, more of an eight?”
      And Farve’s response proved to be an admission of him being unsure where to deploy Barkley.
      He said: “I’m told he’s more of an eight.”
      Terry a fan of Potter
      John Terry lavished Graham Potter with praise on Twitter – just 15 days before Tuchel lost his job.
      The Brighton boss is on his way to meet Chelsea owner Todd Boehly later today to discuss taking over the role.
      Potter has received much praise for the style of football he has the Seagulls playing on top of helping them climb the table from a side who could go down to a team that is in the fight for Europe.
      Terry would seemingly be a fan of the new manager if it does happen to be Potter replacing Tuchel.

      Tuchel’s pay-off
      Thomas Tuchel is set to receive a whopping £13million payout after his sacking by Chelsea, according to reports.
      Reports also indicate that Tuchel’s backroom staff are also set to land an extra £2m between them.
      It takes the sacking of the German to a total of £15million .
      Boehly wants Potter in charge by Saturday
      Chelsea want Graham Potter in charge by the weekend.
      SunSport can exclusively reveal that Todd Boehly wants the Brighton boss in charge for their game versus Fulham.
      Potter is set to travel to London today to meet with the Blues’ owner to discuss taking over as manager.
      Tuchel needed more time
      Jamie Carragher thinks that Thomas Tuchel needed more time to turn around Chelsea’s fortunes.
      The ex-Liverpool defender said: “He bought Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who made his debut last night and Wesley Fofana’s played two games,
      “So the idea that this team’s been put together with a lot of money spent – I understand that – pressure comes with that and Tuchel will understand that – but he was almost like a director of football a lot through the summer as well
      “He was heavily involved in bringing the players in.
      “He should have been given more time certainly, even just the next three games which takes them up to the international break, I don’t know what the rush was right now.”
      Carragher thinks Poch is the man
      Pundit Jamie Carragher believes Mauricio Pochettino is the right man to be Chelsea’s next manager rather than Graham Potter.
      He said: “If you asked me, if I was a Chelsea supporter who I’d like to see manage my club, I’d go for Pochettino.
      “It’s a very ruthless club and I’m not sure he [Potter] is the right fit.
      “Maybe Chelsea are saying they want to do things differently in the future in terms of having a coach in charge rather than a manager or they do things behind the scenes differently.
      “But if I was Graham Potter, I would find that very hard to believe that they’re going to do things differently.
      “They’ve just got rid of a manager six games into the season. Of course, it’s a huge step up in his managerial career and Chelsea are still one of the top clubs.
      “They are still world champions right now, but you fear for Graham Potter that he’ll be in the same boat as every other Chelsea manager has for the last 10 years, unless he gets results instantly they’ll be getting themselves another new manager in 12 months.”
      Mendy rejects new contract
      Edouard Mendy has rejected Chelsea’s offer of a new deal.
      The goalkeeper has been left unhappy with what’s on the table because his salary would be less than Kepa Arrizabalaga’s despite him being Mendy’s understudy.
      The Spaniard is reportedly on £190,000-a-week.
      Leboeuf hits out at Mount
      Ex-Chelsea star Frank Leboeuf has singled out Mason Mount for criticism.
      The attacking midfielder has been a vital player for Chelsea over the last few seasons but his performance versus Dinamo Zagreb has led to criticism.
      Laboeuf told ESPN: “I want to talk about Mason because we never talk about him because he’s the little boy from Chelsea,”
      “But he disappeared! I’m sorry, Mason disappeared. I want to know where he is.
      “He’s fantastic, a great player but his involvement in the game was not enough. That was an appalling performance against a very average team.”
      Tuchel sacked via phone call
      Thomas Tuchel was left “totally shocked” after being sacked by Chelsea in a brutal 10-minute PHONE CALL today.
      SunSport can reveal Todd Boehly ended Tuchel’s 18-month Stamford Bridge love affair in swift fashion following last night’s defeat to Dinamo Zagreb.
      Champions League winner Tuchel rocked up to Cobham this morning to give his flops a post-match dressing down.
      But when he arrived at Chelsea’s training ground there was nobody there to greet him.
      Tuchel was then thrust into a call conference with the Chelsea hierarchy.
      In a relentless ten minute meeting, Tuchel pleaded for more time as he urged for a chance to turn things around but his request fell on deaf ears.
      Potter to meet Boehly
      Brighton manager Graham Potter is reportedly set to meet Todd Boehly later today.
      He is supposedly Chelsea’s first choice option and there has been contact between the club and him already.
      Brighton have given permission to Chelsea to talk to Potter.
      Credit: Getty
      Who is Anthony Barry?
      Thomas Tuchel’s sacking has paved the way for assistant coach Anthony Barry to temporarily take charge of Chelsea.
      Barry is a former hard-working midfielder who spent his career sending chills around the Football League.
      This includes two spells at Accrington Stanley where he inspired them to win the National League title in 2006.
      He also played for Yeovil, Chester, Wrexham and Fleetwood – where he won back-to-back promotions.
      However, Barry was hit hard with injuries in his mid twenties which pushed him to go into coaching back at Accrington.
      But after rapidly rising through the coaching levels, the Englishman was appointed as part of the Chelsea backroom staff ahead of the 2020/21 season.
      During Barry’s time at Chelsea, he has taken on part-time coaching roles in international football with Republic of Ireland and Belgium.
      Fans all say the same thing about Boehly
      Chelsea supporters have reacted online to the sacking of Thomas Tuchel with many commenting on Todd Boehly’s ruthlessness, similar to that of their previous owner.
      One said: “What if Roman Abramovich is running the club through Todd Boehly?”
      Another added: “Todd Boehly is Roman Abramovich in disguise. You can’t tell me otherwise.”
      One wrote: “I think Todd Boehly is just a caretaker for Roman Abramovich.”
      Another posted: “Thomas Tuchel just got sacked, Roman Abramovich is running Chelsea through Todd Boehly. You can’t tell me otherwise!”
      Odds
      Following Thomas Tuchel’s sacking bookmakers Betfair have made Mauricio Pochettino they favourite to become the next Chelsea boss.
      Betfair odds:

      Mauricio Pochettino: 11/8
      Graham Potter: 11/4
      Brendan Rodgers: 5/1
      Zinedine Zidane: 14/1
      Marcelo Bielsa 16/1
      Roberto Martinez: 16/1
      Ralph Hasenhuttl 20/1
      Diego Simeone: 20/1
      Massimiliano Allegri: 25/1
      John Terry 33/1
      Lucien Favre 33/1
      Thomas Frank 33/1
      Jesse Marsch: 33/1
      Gareth Southgate 50/1
      Frank Lampard: 50/1

      Credit: Reuters
      Three man shortlist
      Sunsport can exclusively report that Todd Boehly has already drawn up a three man shortlist as he looks to replace Thomas Tuchel.
      Brighton boss Graham Potter is top of his wishlist.
      Former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane is also on Boehly’s shortlist as well as Benfica boss Roger Schmidt.
      Former Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino is also available after leaving the Parisians earlier this year.
      It is understood the Argentine would also be open to talking with Chelsea about taking over in the dugout at Stamford Bridge.
      Unhappy Chelsea fans
      Plenty of Chelsea supporters have been left in shock by the news Thomas Tuchel has been sacked.
      Many are concerned regarding the strategy after Todd Boehly allowed Thomas Tuchel to spend so heavily over the summer.
      Boehly decision is proving unpopular and confusing to most on social media.
      I can only think something big has gone on behind the scenes because it doesn’t make sense to back a manager, give him over £250mil to spend on players, including bringing in such a specific player in Aubameyang, just to then sack him. #CFC— Olivia Buzaglo (@OliviaBuzaglo) September 7, 2022

      Potter has buy-out clause
      Brighton boss Graham Potter reportedly has a buy-out clause in his contract.
      Journalist Guillem Balague claims it would take £16million to bring him from in from the Seagulls.
      Potter is currently the bookies favourite to take over at Stamford Bridge.
      Poor form nothing new
      Chelsea’s dip in form and performances began towards the end of last season.
      Tuchel’s first 50 games were a lot better than his last 50 and the defence leaked more goals.
      100 – Thomas Tuchel took charge of exactly 100 games during his time as Chelsea boss; in his first 50 the Blues kept 31 clean sheets, but his second 50 saw them keep just 18. Diminished. pic.twitter.com/8CfvZBh7pu— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 7, 2022

      Some stat
      Just 350 days into his tenure as Chelsea boss, Thomas Tuchel became the first manager in the club’s history to guide the Blues to the final of each of the League Cup, FA Cup and European Cup/UEFA Champions League.
      Despite being in charge of Chelsea for just 589 days, no manager has ever reached more major domestic/European finals with the West Londoners than Tuchel (4).
      He managed Chelsea for 100 matches.
      Reunion – failed
      Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang reportedly decided to join Chelsea because he wanted to work under Thomas Tuchel.
      He was the striker’s manager at Borussia Dortmund.
      Aubameyang arrived on deadline day and just under a week later Tuchel is no longer in charge.
      Big money spent
      The sacking of Thomas Tuchel comes as a major shock given his £270million spending spree this summer.
      He signed the likes of Raheem Sterling for £50m, Marc Cucurella for £60m and Wesley Fofana for £70m.
      Tuchel was given just two games after the transfer window closed before being axed.
      As some concerned Chelsea fans have pointed out, what if the new boss doesn’t fancy some of the German’s big money signings?
      Tuchel’s Chelsea honours
      Thomas Tuchel won three major trophies at Chelsea:
      Champions League: 2020/21
      Super Cup: 2021
      Club World Cup: 2021
      Credit: Getty
      Who next?
      Reports suggest that first-team coach Anthony Barry will likely take charge on an interim basis for the meantime as Chelsea look for a new manager.
      But who are the early contenders to take over the vacant role?
      The bookies have Brighton boss Graham Potter as favourite.
      Graham Potter – 2/1
      Mauricio Pochettino – 5/1
      John Terry – 7/1
      Zinedine Zidane – 8/1
      Brendan Rodgers – 12/1
      Ruthless Boehly
      Previous owner Roman Abramovich was known for his brutal style of sacking manager and new man Todd Boehly is following in his footsteps.
      He has only been in charge of the club for 100 days and he has axed his first manager.
      According to the Telegraph, Tuchel lost the faith of Boehly and his players.
      And they state that his future at Chelsea would have been in doubt even if they had claimed three points against Dinamo Zagreb.
      Tuchel sacked – Club statement
      A Chelsea statement read: “Chelsea Football Club has today parted company with Head Coach Thomas Tuchel.
      “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. 
      “Chelsea’s coaching staff will take charge of the team for training and the preparation of our upcoming matches as the Club moves swiftly to appoint a new head coach.
      “There will be no further comment until a new head coach appointment is made.”
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      Thomas Tuchel SACKED by Chelsea as Todd Boehly swings axe after shock Dinamo Zagreb defeat and poor start to season

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      THOMAS TUCHEL has been SACKED by Chelsea following their shock Champions League defeat away at Dinamo Zagreb.SunSport has exclusively revealed Brighton boss Graham Potter is among the early frontrunners for the vacant position with talks scheduled to take place today.
      Chelsea have sacked Thomas Tuchel after their poor start to the seasonCredit: AP
      Brighton boss Graham Potter is being up by Blues owner Todd BoehyCredit: Reuters
      Meanwhile Mauricio Pochettino and Zinedine Zidane are also on Chelsea’s shortlist, as well as Benfica boss Roger Schmidt.
      Blues owner Todd Boehly has shown he is just as ruthless as predecessor Roman Abramovich after wielding the axe on the German gaffer.
      A poor Premier League start has seen Chelsea lose two out of their opening six matches.
      They scraped by against London rivals West Ham on Saturday, before being embarrassed in Croatia in their group stage opener on Tuesday.

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      And it proved to be the decisive result for American owner Boehly who has ruthlessly relieved Tuchel of his duties after less than two years in charge.
      Incredibly, Chelsea’s clash against Zagreb was Tuchel’s 100th game at the helm since replacing Frank Lampard in the dugout in January 2021.

      A Chelsea statement read: “Chelsea Football Club has today parted company with Head Coach Thomas Tuchel.
      “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.
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      “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. 
      “Chelsea’s coaching staff will take charge of the team for training and the preparation of our upcoming matches as the Club moves swiftly to appoint a new head coach.
      “There will be no further comment until a new head coach appointment is made.”
      According to the Telegraph, Tuchel lost the faith of Boehly and his players.
      And they state that his future at Chelsea would have been in doubt even if they had claimed three points against Zagreb.
      It has been said that first team coach Anthony Barry will likely take charge on an interim basis for the meantime as Chelsea look for a new manager.

      At the time of writing, Wesley Fofana – who joined from Leicester for £70million last month – is the only Chelsea player to post about Tuchel.
      Taking to his Instagram story, the French centre-back shared an imagine of the ex-Borussia Dortmund gaffer embracing him.
      Wesley Fofana has shared this image of him and Tuchel on InstagramCredit: Instagram: Wesley Fofana
      Blues coach Anthony Barry could be appointed on an interim basis at Stamford BridgeCredit: Getty More

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      Man City ‘keen on Toni Kroos’ and can land Real Madrid star in free transfer this summer as he runs down contract

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      MANCHESTER CITY are reportedly keen on a move for Real Madrid legend Toni Kroos.The German playmaker, 32, is out of contract next summer.
      Man City are lining up a free transfer swoop for Real Madrid star Toni KroosCredit: Rex
      And El Nacional claims long-term admirer Pep Guardiola is lining up a stunning free transfer offer.
      Kroos has been at Real Madrid since 2014 after a £25million move from Bayern Munich.
      And he previously declared his intention to retire at the Bernabeu, with his next contract to be the last of his career.
      However, it’s reckoned Kroos has rejected Real’s latest offer.
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      And City have now made contact over bringing the World Cup winner to England.
      Guardiola is a huge fan of Kroos and tried signing him in 2019.
      The midfielder rejected City’s advances to pen a new Real deal.
      But Guardiola has continued to press for Kroos’ signature.
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      And he could now be in luck, with the veteran strongly considering his options.
      Kroos has played 369 games for Real, winning three LaLiga titles and four Champions Leagues.
      With his 33rd birthday on the horizon, he may be tempted for one final challenge in a new country.

      But speaking after yesterday’s group stage win at Celtic, Kroos took a swipe at the Premier League’s big spending.
      Former teammate Casemiro left Real last month for a £60m move to Man United on reported £300,000-a-week wages.
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      And Kroos said: “TV money has been significantly higher in England for years and yet it hasn’t resulted in English teams winning everything.
      “Thank God not all players look only at salary but also at winning many titles and to grow more.” More

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      Douglas Luiz ‘to leave Aston Villa for FREE in summer and join rival Premier League club’ amid Arsenal transfer interest

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      DOUGLAS LUIZ will reportedly leave Aston Villa as a free agent next summer.And the Brazilian midfielder is already target a switch to a Premier League rival.
      Arsenal target Douglas Luiz will leave Aston Villa on a free transfer next summerCredit: Getty
      Luiz, 24, was chased by three of England’s top clubs this summer after entering the final year of his contract.
      Chelsea were known to be keen before they eventually plumped for Juventus’ Denis Zakaria on loan.
      And Liverpool also kept tabs on Luiz until they pulled off a loan for Juve’s Arthur Melo.
      But it was Arsenal who led the charge for Luiz on transfer deadline day, having a £23million bid rejected by Villa.
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      But despite being happy to stay at the Midlands this term, UOL claims Luiz has already decided to leave Steven Gerrard’s side when his deal expires in 2023.
      The former Manchester City youngster is confident he can play at the highest level.
      And Luiz is eager to remain in the Premier League after entering his fourth season at Villa Park.
      The playmaker is likely to have offers from abroad too, with AC Milan targeting him after losing Franck Kessie to Barcelona.
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      The Italians would be able to open negotiations with Luiz in January.
      And with nine Brazil caps already to his name, the midfielder is likely to attract even more interest when he is able to strike a pre-contract agreement.
      Luiz has made 117 appearances for Villa since his 2019 switch from City, scoring seven goals and assisting a further eight in the process. More