Graham Potter Chelsea sack latest: Aston Villa shock, Boehly meeting, Julian Nagelsmann tipped

Chelsea news: Graham Potter has come under pressure as Chelsea boss with plenty of talk surrounding his future as manager at Stamford Bridge

Candidates Who Could Potentially Replace Graham Potter At Chelsea 

Graham Potter was thrust back into the mire after Chelsea lost 2-0 to Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge, dropping into the bottom half. It’s the first loss in four games for the Blues but after a two-week international break the manager is back under serious pressure.

Chelsea fans once again booed their side off at half-time and fulll-time, though the full effect of the anger was lost somewhat due to most of the home crowd having emptied out by the 90th minute. After a disappointing 2-2 draw with Everton coming before this, the sharks are circling once more.

The Blues are still yet to beat a team that started the day above them with the only win against a top half team coming against Villa – who were in a serious relegation fight when Chelsea ran out 2-0 winners earlier this season. 

Now, the prospect of Potter losing his job has been raised once more and football.london has the latest.

Pochettino remains favourite

After the Villa result Mauricio Pochettino remains the bookies’ favourite to take over at Stamford Bridge and to become the next permanent coach. 

Meanwhile a new contender has emerged with recently fired Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann now coming in as a close second place on that list. 

Chelsea fans boo and chant against Potter

Chelsea fans once more turned against Potter after the latest loss. Not only did they boo their head coach, there were also chants of ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning’ from the Stamford Bridge faithful as well as from the jubilant away fans.

Borussia Dortmund result impact

Borussia Dortmund could be a crucial game for Graham Potter in his tenure as Chelsea boss, with the knockout rounds creating drama for all sides involved. Reports have claimed that it could be a make or break game for the head coach and his management team, with both Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali in attendance.

Todd Boehly told to make ruthless decision

Former Chelsea defender Paul Parker believes this is the “perfect timing” to dispense with Graham Potter’s services, despite the Leeds United victory. “First of all, I have to say that it would be extremely easy for any manager to take over Chelsea now and start from scratch,” Parker told bettors.

“Because no matter what happens, he will get the rest of this season and a summer transfer window with no pressure on his shoulders. So, honestly, it would be the perfect timing to sack Graham Potter. A new manager would have nothing to lose and that is a good thing.”

Leeds turning point

Speaking after watching his side earn a valuable three points, Potter refused to get carried away. Asked if he felt the win over Leeds was a turning point, he said: “It’s a nice three points and an important three points. 

“I think it’s good for confidence and morale. The boys have been suffering because they care – they really do – and our supporters have been suffering as well. It’s been a tough period for us so the win gives us a chance to recover and prepare for a massive game on Tuesday night. That is what we have to focus on.”

Todd Boehly meeting

Chelsea boss Graham Potter has insisted he still retains the support of the club’s owners despite not winning a game since mid-January. “There is support and I’ve spoken to them,” he revealed in his pre-match Leeds press conference. “But I’m not going to hide behind that. The results haven’t been good enough for us and I’m responsible for that.

“When you’re a coach, if the results are good you accept the criticism and noise that comes with it. My job is to stay with the team, stay focused, try to prepare the team as well as I can, and win the game tomorrow.”

Luis Enrique and Zinedine Zidane frontrunners

According to Spanish outlet Sport, Luis Enrique and Zinedine Zidane would be the frontrunners for the Chelsea job if Potter bites the bullet.

Chelsea have Leeds at home and then their Champions Legaue round of 16 second leg against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday night. Lose both of those and his future may be even more precarious.

However, it is understood that the situation does not hinge on those two matches. Luis Enrique and Zidane are both out of work currently and as such would not require compensation to bring them in, with Chelsea having to pay up Potter’s contract.

New Leeds United sack plan

Chelsea face old rivals Leeds United this weekend, before that Champions League last-16 second leg against Dortmund at Stamford Bridge next Tuesday. But while the next couple of games are deemed critical by some, the Guardian report that is not necessarily the case.

According to them Boehly and the board are “determined to give Graham Potter time to turn around the club’s fortunes and do not want to make a decision on his future based on the next two games”.

football.london understands, as mentioned above, that Potter has support for now, but as the head coach himself has admitted, that support will not last forever.

Sacking timeline

Noises from the club continue to indicate that Graham Potter isn’t going to be sacked just yet but he faces a serious challenge in order to remain in his post long-term.

Reports suggest that the Champions League second-leg tie against Borussia Dortmund will be decisive whilst there is a belief that should he manage to beat Leeds but fall short in Europe there could be some leeway for him to continue. 

One big change that has come about is that Potter is now under massive pressure, something he has admitted himself. Although the new owners would like to keep him in place for years to come they are aware that the run of form is not good enough. 

Compensation package

The Mirror reports that Todd Boehly would have to pay the former Brighton boss £50million if he was to take the decision to sack him.

This would be in addition to the £22m paid in compensation to Brighton to acquire his, and a five-man backroom team’s, services back in September. That was also a world record fee, as Potter was released from his contract to sign an unprecedented five-year deal at Stamford Bridge, worth about £60m.

Should Potter have his contract prematurely terminated, the potential £50m payout would be almost double that of the highest sum paid during Roman Abramovich’s tenure, with £26.6m paid to Antonio Conte and his staff in 2018. However, chairman Todd Boehly remains intent on giving the current manager sufficient time to turn the club’s fortunes around.

Mourinho on Roma exit

Jose Mourinho is on the list of potential replacements for Potter and has already spoken this season about leaving Roma. Earlier this year he said: “I could’ve left in December and didn’t, this is my life, every day there is a game. Sometimes it might seem as if we are struggling, but we are up there with all the others who are very strong.”

Arteta sympathy

Potter has compared his situation to Arteta’s at Arsenal just over 12 months ago and the Gunners boss admits he feels for his opposition number. “Absolutely,” he said.

“We are colleagues and we all know the pressure, the demands and the uncertainty this industry has and as well because the fact the ball has to go into that net and there are sometimes many factors that prevent that which you cannot control. So of course you empathise because you suffer, because you know how it is going through those moments.”

Jose Mourinho tipped to return

Former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has been tipped to make a miraculous return to the club.

Mourinho, 60, is currently in charge of Italian side AS Roma and has previously enjoyed two fruitful spells at the club from 2004-2007 and 2013-2015. The Giallorossi are currently third in Serie A and Mourinho did lead the side to glory in the UEFA Conference League last season.

Sources have reported that Boehly and co are set to be happy to stand by Potter despite the side’s recent dip in form, but former Sky Sports pundit Richard Keys insisted the club’s hierarchy should act quickly in order to save their season.

“Jose Mourinho is a former Chelsea manager who is enormously popular with the crowd, he’s the most successful individual the club have ever employed,” Keys told BeIN Sports yesterday. “He’s a populist, Boehly, he wants to give them something to get excited about.

“The experiment with Potter has failed miserably, so that’s got to change. [If I’m Boehly], what do I need to do now? I need the get-out-of-jail-free card: Mourinho. I just think he is the most popular appointment Boehly could make right now to buy him time in his project, if you like.”

Every word Boehly has said on Potter

Whilst yet to hear from Boehly on the club’s recent downfall, the US tycoon has hinted that Potter’s vision does correctly align with what he is trying to achieve, as he explained following the sacking of former boss Thomas Tuchel earlier this year.

“When you take over any business, you have to make sure you’re aligned with the people who are operating the business,” Boehly said on the sacking of the club’s former German boss.

He told the club’s official website following the appointment: “We are thrilled to bring Graham to Chelsea. He is a proven coach and an innovator in the Premier League who fits our vision for the Club.

”Not only is he extremely talented on the pitch, he has skills and capabilities that extend beyond the pitch which will make Chelsea a more successful Club. He has had a major impact at his previous Clubs and we look forward to his positive impact at Chelsea. We look forward to supporting him, his coaching team and the squad in realising their full potential in the coming months and years.”

Pochettino new favourite

Potter was made the new favourite to face the sack after the Southampton clash, with an extensive shortlist of replacements being prepared. Former Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino is the favourite at 6/5, some way clear of the rest of the group. It is three time Champions League winning coach Zinedine Zidane at 6/1 as second favourite.

Former Spain boss Luis Enrique comes in at 8/1 whilst a list of consistently and previously linked names appear after him. Former coach at the club Brendan Rodgers is at 9/1 whilst current Atletico Madrid man Diego Simeone is at 12/1, his future in Spain is far from clear. Behind him is simply a guess who of former Blues managers.

Jose Mourinho, manager of Roma, is tipped at 16/1 whilst more remarkably Tuchel is above him at 14/1 despite leaving the club just eight months ago. Carlo Ancelotti, the reigning Champions League winner, is further back at 20/1.

‘No change’ in Potter’s backing

Boehly’s stance on Potter ‘has not changed’ despite the abysmal run of form. That’s according to the Daily Telegraph, who claim the club ‘are still backing’ the Chelsea boss.

Posting on Twitter, Telegraph journalist Matt Law wrote: “The bigger immediate challenge for Potter is to stop the fans turning on him and that requires a big and quick upturn in results and performances.”

Potter responds to criticism

Following the defeat to Southampton supporters inside Stamford Bridge were quick to enlighten Potter on their feelings. But the Blues boss was quick to respond. “After a 1-0 defeat at home, any criticism you get is understandable. I think we’ve had a tough period and I think we’ve had lots of challenges in terms of integrating young players into the Premier League. While results don’t go your way it can be tough, that is how it is.

“I’m sure there will be people out there that think I’m the problem, absolutely. I don’t think they’re right but I’m not arrogant enough to say their opinion isn’t worth articulating. My job is to help the team, keep working through a team period, we’ve had to make some changes today and the truth is we took a step back in our performance in the first half. The response in the second half was good, but it wasn’t good enough.”