Brighton & Hove Albion coach Graham Potter is reportedly the early frontrunner to replace Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea.
The West Londoners confirmed their decision to part ways with the 49-year-old German on Wednesday morning, just hours after he and his team suffered a humiliating 1-0 away defeat to Dinamo Zagreb in their Champions League opener.
Despite paying Tuchel about £300m in the transfer market, the club’s new owners, a consortium managed by Todd Boehly, believe that “it is the proper moment to make this shift” 100 days after replacing Roman Abramovich.
Tuchel was apparently notified of his dismissal by the club’s leadership on Wednesday morning. First-team coach Anthony Barry will now take temporary charge of the team while they seek for a replacement.
Tuchel leaves Stamford Bridge after 100 games in charge, winning 62, drawing 19, and losing 20. During his tenure, he won the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and Club World Cup.
Related: Thomas Tuchel Sacked By Chelsea FC New Boss Todd Boehly
Who Will Take Over As Chelsea New Coach After Tuchel?
The Daily Telegraph reports that Chelsea will act quickly to secure a replacement for Tuchel, and Brighton coach Potter is the early favorite to take over in West London.
According to the report, Chelsea will approach the Seagulls for permission to talk with the 47-year-old, with the Blues “aiming for a swift process of due diligence to appoint the right man.”
Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino, former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane, and Benfica manager Roger Schmidt are reportedly three other candidates who could be considered.
Potter has earned recognition for his attractive brand of football, astute transfer business, and development of young players since taking over at the Amex Stadium in the summer of 2019.
After two seasons in the Premier League’s bottom half, the Solihull-born manager led Brighton to a ninth-place finish last season, the club’s highest-ever top-flight result in its 121-year history.
Potter and co. have since made a really good start to the new season, rising to fourth in the table – three points ahead of Chelsea in sixth – after winning four of their first six games.
Potter has three years left on his contract at Brighton, so a move to Stamford Bridge would almost certainly necessitate a substantial pay sum for Chelsea.
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