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– Chelsea have sacked manager Graham Potter after less than seven months in charge following Saturday’s 2-0 home defeat by Aston Villa.
– It was the Englishman’s 11th defeat in 31 games since replacing Thomas Tuchel at Stamford Bridge on 8 September.
– Chelsea have dropped to 11th in the Premier League – 12 points outside the top four – having spent more than £550m on new players this season.
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– The club’s owners said they were “disappointed” to sack Potter.
– Chelsea say Potter “has agreed to collaborate with the club to facilitate a smooth transition” and that Bruno Saltor, who worked with Potter at Brighton, will take charge of the team as interim head coach.
– In a statement, co-controlling owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali said: “We have the highest degree of respect for Graham as a coach and as a person.
– “He has always conducted himself with professionalism and integrity and we are all disappointed in this outcome.”
Club statement.
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 2, 2023
– Chelsea host Liverpool in the Premier League on Tuesday and face Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on 12 April.
– There have now been 13 managerial changes in the Premier League this season, with Leicester sacking Brendan Rodgers earlier on Sunday.
– ‘Along with our incredible fans, we will all be getting behind Bruno and the team as we focus on the rest of the season,” the Chelsea owners added.
– “We have 10 Premier League games remaining and a Champions League quarter-final ahead. We will put every effort and commitment into every one of those games so that we can end the season on a high.”
– Former Spanish right-back Bruno, 42, spent seven years as a player at Brighton before retiring in 2019 and moving into coaching.
– Potter was Boehly’s first managerial appointment since taking over the club in May 2022, with the Englishman impressing in his three years at Brighton.
– Potter replaced Tuchel, who won three trophies in 20 months at Stamford Bridge, in September when the Blues were sixth in the top flight, following a summer during which they spent £255m on transfers.
– Owner Boehly went on another remarkable spending spree in January, shelling out £288m.
– Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez and Ukraine forward Mykhailo Mudryk were among eight mid-season signings – but the new additions have struggled to click on the pitch.
