Chelsea have avoided one strand of extra Graham Potter related embarrassment after the decision was made on Sunday to part ways with the manager. Todd Boehly cut ties with the 47-year-old just seven months into a five year contract offered in September.
It means that the American co-owner is now searching for the third permanent manager in his brief tenure as chair at the club, a far cry from the stability and rebuild that has become the goal of Boehly/Clearlake. Whilst Potter's assistant Bruno Saltor is set to take charge against Liverpool on Tuesday there are yet more things for the owners to work out.
Having paid over £20million to secure Potter and his backroom staff before offering the head coach £12m per year in one of the most lucrative contracts in the world for his position, a severance package has now been agreed that avoids further humiliation for the club.
READ MORE: Chelsea's Graham Potter tipping point and who will take charge amid Julian Nagelsmann interest
It is reported that sacking Potter could have cost up to £50m on top of the initial payment to Brighton, double what they paid out to Antonio Conte in 2018 when he was removed from the post. The Athletic write that a fresh package has been agreed with the Englishman though, reducing that cost and taking it below a world-record fee.
Boehly has already spent £600m on transfers since purchasing the club in May 2022, overhauling the backroom staff, recruitment department, physios and even groundsman on his way to gutting the building for a huge rebuild. There is little evidence of that on the pitch though with Potter losing 11 of his 31 games in charge, allowing the club to slump down to 11th in the table.
The loss to Villa, who moved above them and into the top half on Saturday, was the final straw. “On behalf of everyone at the club, we want to thank Graham sincerely for his contribution to Chelsea," the club wrote in a statement late on Sunday night. "We have the highest degree of respect for Graham as a coach and as a person,” Chelsea’s statement continued.
“He has always conducted himself with professionalism and integrity and we are all disappointed in this outcome. Along with our incredible fans, we will all be getting behind Bruno and the team as we focus on the rest of the season. 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.”
Potter was unable to settle on a consistent system or XI to win games in the league despite European progression to the quarter-finals of the Champions League - a tie with Real Madrid that Bruno will now oversee. He also found himself in charge of a massively bloated squad, ending up with a 33-man group under his watch.
The pre-World Cup injury spate left him without a key group of stars and those setbacks continued on into the new year but despite a lavish January window Potter was not able to string together a serious run of results, seeing the fans turn on him for the second time in five matches.
READ NEXT:
Jamie Carragher breaks silence on Chelsea's Graham Potter sack decision
Chelsea next manager: Todd Boehly shortlist with Julian Nagelsmann favourite to replace Potter
Graham Potter sacked by Chelsea after Aston Villa loss as Todd Boehly ends troubled reign
Chelsea announce Graham Potter replacement as Blues dugout confirmed ahead of Liverpool clash
Julian Nagelsmann would have serious Chelsea advantage after club sack Graham Potter
