Chelsea make 'positive contact' over Potter replacement

Robin Bairner

• 31 Mar 2023 01:53 CDT
• 3 min read

Chelsea have made “first positive contacts” over Julian Nagelsmann, who is being lined up to replace Graham Potter as the Stamford Bridge side’s manager.

Potter finds himself under pressure with the Blues after a disappointing campaign. Though he was not given a pre-season with the club – he was appointed following the sacking of Thomas Tuchel in September – the former Brighton manager has thus far failed to meet expectations at the club.

Chelsea’s goal for the season was Champions League qualification, which looks unattainable via a Premier League finish as they currently sit 10th in the standings, despite setting numerous transfer records following the takeover spearheaded by Todd Boehly.

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Nagelsmann, meanwhile, is seen by many as an ideal replacement. Young and dynamic, the German finds himself out of a job after being sacked by Bayern Munich, where Tuchel was swiftly appointed to replace him.

Sky Sports’ Rudy Galetti has reported that the Blues have started to move on the German to replace Potter in the summer.

“First positive contacts between Nagelsmann and some Chelsea representatives,” he reported via Twitter. “To date, the former Bayern Munich coach is one of the Chelsea’s main options for the next season - together with Luis Enrique - in the event of Graham Potter being sacked.”

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When will Chelsea sack Graham Potter?

Despite Chelsea’s poor results, there has been little indication that the club are getting ready to jettison Potter.

Boehly’s strategy in the transfer market has been to sign young players on lengthy contract, and while there is some dispute as to how much say Potter had in some of these deals, Mykhailo Mudryk, for example, there is a belief that Chelsea genuinely want to stick by the former Brighton manager in the long term if it is at all possible.

A poor end to the season, though, could make Potter’s position untenable, but a recent run of three successive victories over Leeds, Dortmund and Leicester show he has the capacity to save his job.