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 chargeAFP
Chelsea owner Todd Boehly has sacked his second manager this seasonPA
However, ex-Brighton boss Potter has been unable to turn 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.
The 47-year-old Englishman 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.
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.
Chelsea owner Todd Boehly had thrown his support behind Potter, who the club believed would was the man to rejuvenate the squad.
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Boehly and his fellow investors splashed £330m on new signings in January, taking their total spending well clear of £600m.
Potter however has 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 axedGETTY
Zinedine Zidane has been out of football since departing Real Madrid in 2021Splash
Luis Enrique left his post as Spain manager after the World CupGetty
They 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.
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