Chelsea helped on Potter chase by two players and Boehly has criteria

Thomas Tuchel sacked by Chelsea

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Chelsea’s good relationship with Brighton has helped them enter talks with Graham Potter, according to reports. Todd Boehly is on the lookout for a new manager after ruthlessly axing Thomas Tuchel on Wednesday, less than 24 hours after a Champions League defeat to Dinamo Zagreb. And it’s the Brighton boss who appears to be the frontrunner for the post at the current moment in time…

Chelsea announced their decision to part ways with Tuchel on Wednesday morning, in a development that has stunned the footballing world.

The German had overseen a rocky start to the season but his sacking is surprising regardless, especially given how he steered the Blues to Champions League glory just over two years ago.

Chelsea have now been granted permission to speak to Brighton boss Potter, who has worked wonders at the Amex Stadium ever since taking over from Chris Hughton back in 2019.

And The Evening Standard claim the Blues’ good relationship with Brighton has helped pave the way for Potter talks, with Chelsea negotiating with their Premier League rivals for Marc Cucurella and Billy Gilmour in the summer transfer window.

By negotiating for those two players, it’s helped smoothen negotiations as they look to bring Potter to Stamford Bridge.

Boehly is said to want somebody who can bring a long-term approach to developing their squad.

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And they also want somebody who can ‘work collaboratively with them on recruitment’ – something Tuchel failed to do during his final months as manager.

Chelsea had eyed a shock deal for Cristiano Ronaldo, believing the Manchester United star would be an ideal replacement for Romelu Lukaku.

Yet Tuchel told Boehly in no uncertain terms that he’d prefer the club to sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Barcelona instead.

Aubameyang finally returned to the Premier League on transfer deadline day, less than a year after departing Arsenal for Catalonia.

Yet he drew a blank on his debut in Croatia on Tuesday night, with Chelsea slipping to a disappointing defeat in their first Champions League match of the season.

Potter isn’t the only name being linked with the job, either.

Chelsea are set to hold talks with Mauricio Pochettino as well, with the Argentine currently available after leaving Paris Saint-Germain at the start of the summer.

Pochettino has previously managed Southampton and Tottenham, steering the latter to the Champions League final back in 2019.

He had been expected to land the Manchester United job, after years of speculation, only for the Red Devils to prise Erik ten Hag away from Ajax instead.

And Zinedine Zidane is another candidate as well.

The Frenchman is, like Pochettino, available after choosing to take a sabbatical following his departure from Real Madrid in the summer of 2021.

Yet with the Los Blancos icon previously expressing doubts about managing in England, he’s not a favourite for the Chelsea post at the current moment in time.

Meanwhile, former Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand has opened up on Tuchel’s departure from Stamford Bridge.

And he’s criticised the decision, saying on his YouTube channel FIVE: “He has a 60 per cent win rate. “A lot of managers would be delighted to have that.

“It’s a giant statement from Todd Boehly and his new regime.”

And Ferdinand then proceeded to add: “Anybody who comes in now, you would think is a downgrade on Tuchel.

“Graham Potter has done a fantastic job and will be called by bigger clubs than Brighton.

“But would he take it? He has a clear identity but the question is would he be able to handle the experienced players?

“Tuchel is a proper manager. He is honest and direct. He has clarity on how he wants to play and I can’t understand it.

“It doesn’t make sense to me.”

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