Chelsea hire Graham Potter from Brighton as Thomas Tuchel replacement

Chelsea have announced Graham Potter as their new manager, replacing Thomas Tuchel, who was sacked on Wednesday.

Potter, who joins from Brighton & Hove Albion, becomes the 30th manager in Chelsea's history -- the first managerial appointment under new American owner Todd Boehly, who sacked Tuchel after 100 games in charge.

He joins Chelsea on a five-year deal, and Chelsea have paid a fee in the region of £16 million to release him from his Brighton contract.

Former Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino and ex-Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane were also initially shortlisted for the role alongside Potter.

Potter, known for his attacking style, helped Brighton to a ninth-place finish in the Premier League last season. The 47-year-old has also enjoyed coaching spells at Swedish side Ostersund, who he guided to an unlikely Europa League group stage berth, and Swansea City.

Chelsea Football Club is delighted to welcome Graham Potter as our new Head Coach! 🤝

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) September 8, 2022

Chelsea made nine summer signings with a record transfer spend of over £250 million, but the investment has yet to improve results on the pitch, with the club sitting in sixth place in the Premier League after six games.

The club also got off to a slow start in the Champions League group stages, slumping to a 1-0 defeat to Dinamo Zagreb in their Group E opener on Tuesday.