One day after sacking Thomas Tuchel, Chelsea has confirmed that Graham Potter is the club’s new head coach.
Potter has departed Brighton to sign a five-year deal at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea paid Brighton a reported £21.5 million in compensation to Brighton to secure the services of Potter and four other members of his staff that will join him in London.
Potter, 47, took the long road to one of coaching’s most high-profile positions.
After his playing career ended, Potter took over Östersund in the Swedish fourth division in 2010. Over a span of five years, Potter led the club to three promotions and a place in Sweden’s top flight, eventually landing a spot in the Europa League in 2017-18.
Potter’s exploits in Sweden did not go unnoticed, and he was eventually hired by Championship outfit Swansea City, before moving to the Premier League to take over Brighton in 2019.
After leading Brighton to ninth place last season, the club’s best ever Premier League finish, Potter has now been hired by one of the biggest clubs in European soccer.
Chelsea owner Todd Boehly said in a release: “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.”
Chelsea has started the season off slowly, with three defeats in its first seven games including a surprise 1-0 loss at Dinamo Zagreb earlier this week to kick off its Champions League campaign.
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