Graham Potter announced as new Chelsea boss

Graham Potter has been announced as the new manager of Chelsea, following the sacking of previous boss Thomas Tuchel on Wednesday morning.

Chelsea Football Club is delighted to welcome Graham Potter as our new Head Coach! 🤝

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) September 8, 2022

In a statement on the appointment, new owner Todd Boehly said, "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."

Potter became the early favourite as soon as Tuchel was given his marching orders, in the wake of the team's loss in their opening Champions League game to Dinamo Zagreb.

The Englishman leaves Brighton with immediate effect after three years in charge of the club in which he earned the club their highest ever league finish.

The 47-year-old is Todd Boehly's first appointment as manager and it'll be interesting to see how long he gives the former Swansea City manager.

Previous owner Roman Abramovich was known for having a very short term vision when it came to keeping managers, a tactic that certainly worked for the Russian.

Tuchel's sacking, after just 100 games in charge, does suggest that Bohely might continue the trend but the American might be more lenient now that is own man is in the job.

The former manager may have won the Champions League just over a year ago but the Blues have had plenty of struggles already in the early part of the current campaign.

After a huge summer of spending, the west London club had already lost twice in the league this season, to Leeds United and Southampton.

They began their latest European campaign on Tuesday and were expected to beat Dinamo but were beaten 1-0, Tuchel's last game in charge.

Hakim Ziyech, who was expected to leave Stamford Bridge in the summer, was particularly criticised for his performance as a second half substitute.

The former Ajax winger took two injury time free kicks that went into the opposition wall, leaving Reece James extremely frustrated, as the Blues chased a late equaliser.

The news of Tuchel and Potters' departures will hit two players in particular hardest, after moves in or out of Chelsea in the past week.

Midfielder Billy Gilmour left the club in order to work with Potter at Brighton, after game time with the five time Premier League winners looked unlikely.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang returned to England on deadline day to reunite with Tuchel, having played under him at Borussia Dortmund in the past, but played less than an hour on Tuesday.