Brighton boss Graham Potter is all set to be announced as the successor to former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel after he was relieved from his duty on Wednesday. Potter is said to have agreed on a deal with the West London club as final negotiations are now taking place as the Blues prepare for the derby affair against Fulham on weekend.
Dinamo loss final straw for Tuchel
The 0-1 defeat to Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League proved to be the final straw for Tuchel, as he was sacked by new owner Todd Boehly. The London side have endured a tough start to the PL season after they suffered defeats to Leeds United and Southampton and dropped points against Tottenham Hotspur at home.
Those talks between Chelsea and Potter are understood to have been led by co-owners Boehly and Behdad Eghbali in London on Wednesday afternoon and continued into the evening. Sources said the only way Chelsea would not appoint him is if he turned down the role - which has not proven to be a stumbling block with Potter keen to head for west London.
Tuchel will receive as much as £13million in compensation after his shock dismissal - has come during a period in which the club are without a sporting director.
Potter to be in charge on Saturday?
If everything goes well, Potter could be Chelsea's boss and could take charge of the side for Saturday’s clash against Fulham. Former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino was also in the running after he was sacked by Paris Saint-Germain in the summer. Zinedine Zidane was also considered for the vacant post, but from the look of things, Potter has won the race after sparking miracles with Brighton.
Potter’s current side is on 10 points and has been one of the best teams in the division. They are the only team outside the ‘Big Six’ to reside in the Top four now. Potter took charge of the Brighton team in 2019 and has worked with the team and maintained its PL status.
