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.
Chelsea have sacked Graham Potter after less than seven months in charge
Chelsea owner Todd Boehly has sacked his second manager this season
Bruno Salter will take charge of Chelsea until a permanent successor for Potter is appointed
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 Salter 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.
“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 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.
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.
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.
Todd Boehly held crunch talks with Chelsea chief Todd Boehly at the club’s Cobham training ground on Sunday
Potter leaves Chelsea toiling in eleventh place in the Premier League table
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 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, they do want to see more bang for their buck.
Results have worsened and the Blues have particularly struggled in front of goal.
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.
Ex-Spurs and PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino is interested in taking the job if Potter is axed
Zinedine Zidane has been out of football since departing Real Madrid in 2021
Luis Enrique left his post as Spain manager after the World Cup
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.
