Graham Potter finds himself in troubled waters after a difficult start to life as the Chelsea boss. He arrived at Stamford Bridge with big expectations and to manage an expensively assembled squad. The English manager has failed to get off the mark.
After recent losses to Southampton and Tottenham, the writing may be on the wall for Potter that his job is under intense scrutiny. Chelsea may have written off this season which may see them go trophy-less and finish outside of the Champions League places.
While Chelsea have publicly backed Potter, and the idea of the manager having time prevails, a search for a new manager could already be underway. The Blues remain linked with several top names in the market. Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi, Brentford’s Thomas Frank and Napoli’s Luciano Spalletti are all on their list.
Former Barcelona and UCL winning-manager Luis Enrique is another name under consideration. The Spaniard is currently free after leaving his role as the Spanish national team boss after the World Cup.
He might not want to take up a position midway through the season and could wait until the summer before resuming work. Chelsea are reportedly interested in Enrique and willing to offer him a three-year, $12 million-a-year contract
While it may seem like a tempting proposal, Enrique is also courted by Atletico Madrid. The Rojiblancosanticipate Diego Simeone’s departure in the summer. They feel Enrique is the ideal candidate to replace the Argentine at the helm.
They also know Chelsea’s growing interest in pursuing the Spanish manager. Hence, a tough race could ensue for Enrique. The Blues could take a firm decision after further evaluating Potter’s performance between now and the end of the season.