Chelsea Confirms Brighton’s Graham Potter As Manager, Replacing Tuchel

The managerial vacancy at Chelsea didn’t last long—Brighton’s Graham Potter has already been announced as the club’s next manager. 

At Stamford Bridge, Potter replaces Thomas Tuchel, who was abruptly fired Wednesday after Chelsea’s 1–0 defeat at Dinamo Zagreb in their Champions League group stage opener. Potter is now expected to coach the team against Fulham on Saturday.

The 47-year-old coach arrives after a successful stint with Brighton, where he spent the last three seasons. 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. 

Potter signs a five-year contract at Chelsea after the club reportedly activated a release clause worth £16 million ($18.4 million) in his Brighton contract. 

“We are thrilled to bring Graham to Chelsea,” club chairman Todd Boelhy said in a statement. “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 realizing their full potential in the coming months and years.”

After arriving in 2019 from Swansea City, Potter led Brighton to 15th and 16th in the table in his first two seasons in the Premier League. 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. 

After arriving at Chelsea in January 2021 following the tenure of Frank Lampard, Tuchel 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. 

Under Boehly, who has acted as sporting director in addition to Roman Abramovich’s successor as owner, Chelsea spent more than £250 million ($287.6 million) on eight summer transfers. They included star forwards Raheem Sterling and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the latter of whom came to Chelsea in part to be reunited with Tuchel, who previously coached him at Borussia Dortmund. Potter will now be tasked with getting the club back on track, while inheriting a squad that was built for another manager.