Graham Potter, the manager of Chelsea, has received a warning over his employment with the team.
Under-fire Chelsea boss Graham Potter has been warned that he could lose his job at the end of the season if there are no improvements in results, as Blues co-owner Todd Boehly could fire his second head coach since taking charge at Stamford Bridge in May. Chelsea are currently sat in ninth place in the Premier League and have won just one game in 2023.
Boehly and co have committed to Potter in the long-term and backed the ex-Brighton boss financially in January by breaking the British transfer record with the £107million signing of Enzo Fernandez from Benfica, as part of a total spend of over £300m as Mykhaylo Mudryk, Joao Felix, Noni Madueke, Benoit Badiashile, Andrey Santos and David Datro Fofana moved to west London.
Chelsea have struggled to get wins on the board and even score in recent weeks, as they have netted more than once in a game on the sole occasion since the World Cup break and former Aston Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor has claimed that if Potter cannot get Chelsea higher up the table and reach the latter stages of the Champions League, he will be sacked by Boehly.
“I wouldn’t change it yet,” Agbonlahor told Football Insider. “I think Potter has half a season to save his job. I can’t see them changing it until then. But if Potter can’t put together some wins and get them up the table, and get to the latter stages of the Champions League – they’ll get someone new in the summer.
Chelsea boss Graham Potter has been warned he could face the sack by Todd Boehly. (Image: Getty)
“Todd Boehly hasn’t spent all this money to draw 0-0 with Fulham. He’ll want attacking, exciting football – plenty of goals. If Potter can’t show that in the next three months, then he’ll be out of a job.”
Chelsea’s chiefs have reiterated their stance that Potter will remain in charge even if they fail to make next season’s Champions League as they are currently ten points off fourth-placed Newcastle. However, Potter has admitted that he would understand if he was not kept on at Stamford Bridge if he was unable to turn their fortunes around.
Chelsea boss Graham Potter on the touchline. (Image: Getty)
“There are always questions if you don’t get results,” said Potter last month. “I was under pressure after two defeats before the [World Cup] break, that’s from the media. In terms of the board, I’ve had full support.
“They have been very reassuring. But I’m not naive and if anyone I work for thinks the problem lies with me they have every right to say: ‘Thank you very much but it’s not working’ and I accept that.”
Potter signed a five-year contract in September after Thomas Tuchel was axed, as Chelsea paid Brighton a world-record £22m in compensation for the 47-year-old but could be risking a huge financial mistake if they sack Potter while former Barcelona and Spain boss Luis Enrique has been linked with the job if he is axed.
source: www.express.co.uk
