Graham Potter

Graham Potter is set to become Chelsea's new manager after agreeing a deal in principle to leave Brighton, sources have told ESPN.

Chelsea had drawn up a shortlist which included Mauricio Pochettino and Zinedine Zidane but Potter was the club's first choice. [held lengthy talks](/soccer/chelsea-engchelsea/story/4740564/tuchel-sacked-chelsea-shortlist-includes-pochettinopotterzidane-sources) with Chelsea co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali on Wednesday night and after being given the evening to think over his position, sources have told ESPN that Potter verbally agreed to take the role. [Chelsea](/soccer/team?id=363)'s new manager after agreeing a deal in principle to leave [Brighton](/soccer/team?id=331), sources have told ESPN.

The coach is set to replace Thomas Tuchel at the helm at Stamford Bridge after leading Brighton to its best Premier League finish last season.

After arriving at Chelsea in January 2021 following the tenure of Frank Lampard, the German manager led the club to a Champions League title and Club World Cup trophy, but he fell out of favor under the club’s new American ownership. Last season, Potter’s name rose to the surface as a premier coaching candidate after leading the club to ninth on 51 points, its highest-ever finish in the Premier League and just five points shy of qualifying for European competition. Potter has led Brighton to its current fourth-place standing in the Premier League after four wins from its first six games, including a season-opening win over Manchester United at Old Trafford.

At only 47 years of age, Potter has climbed the managerial ladder from Ostersund to Swansea City before landing at Brighton and helping establish them as one of ...

If Brighton are taken as an example, the vision will be quite a good one for the Blues as they search for stability. He is a proven coach and an innovator in the Premier League who fits our vision for the club. At only 47 years of age, Potter has climbed the managerial ladder from Ostersund to Swansea City before landing at Brighton and helping establish them as one of the best-run clubs in England and transforming them into Premier League mainstays.

Graham Potter has a lower profile than his predecessor, Thomas Tuchel, and comes to Chelsea from Brighton.

“It’s totally different to being in a club where you are expected to be midtable and can go a couple of months without winning a game. “I am very excited to partner with Chelsea’s new ownership group and look forward to meeting and working with the exciting group of players and to develop a team and culture that our amazing fans can be proud of.” You go a couple of games without winning at Chelsea and it’ll be totally different.” We look forward to supporting him, his coaching team and the squad in realizing their full potential in the coming months and years.” The pressure on Potter increases significantly at Chelsea, which has not impressed Boehly and a group of owners who took over the team in May. “We are thrilled to bring Graham to Chelsea,” Todd Boehly, the Chelsea chairman, said in a statement.