Leicester close to appointing Graham Potter as manager with ex-Chelsea boss set to return to Premier League
LEICESTER are close to appointing Graham Potter as their new manager.
Potter, 49, has been out of work since being sacked by Chelsea in April last year.
ReutersGraham Potter is set to become Leicester City’s new manager[/caption]
He has already rejected a number of opportunities to return to the dug-out.
However, the former Brighton and Swansea manager has held positive talks with the Leicester ownership.
And now he is keen to return to management with the newly-promoted club.
The Foxes won the Championship last season but were left without a manager after Enzo Maresca joined Potter’s former employers, Chelsea, earlier this month.
Leicester held talks with ex-Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper as well as West Brom manager Carlos Corberan.
But now they have decided on Potter as their preferred choice.
The club are facing financial issues, however, and could still start the season with a points deduction after breaching profit and sustainability rules in recent years.
And that would hand Potter a tough start to life in the Midlands.
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Potter recently held talks over taking the Ajax job, while Brighton considered offering him a return to The Amex to replace Roberto De Zerbi.
The Seagulls could be causing Potter problems in his new role too.
Brighton have long standing interest in Leicester’s Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and are considering a move this summer having been knocked back in January.
Meanwhile, Leicester’s transfer embargo has been lifted by the Premier League.
That is despite the club suing them after being charged with breaking FFP rules.
The £10million received in compensation from Chelsea for Maresca will be booked as pure profit for accounting purposes.
GRAHAM POTTER
Here’s the highly-rated coach’s managerial record:
Clubs managed:
Ostersund (2011-2018)
Swansea City (2018-2019)
Brighton (2019-2022)
Chelsea (2022/23)
Club honours:
Ostersund
Svenska Cupen (2017)
Superettan runner-up (promotion): 2015
Division 1 Norra: 2012
Division 2 Norrland: 2011
Individual honours:
Swedish Football Awards Manager of the Year: 2016, 2017
Swedish Sports Awards Coach of the Year: 2017
This will make it the equivalent of selling a £50m player when it comes to FFP calculations.
Leicester are now confident that a fire sale of players will not be needed to avoid an FFP charge.
Meanwhile, the promotion winners have discovered who they will face on their return to the Premier League as the 2024/25 season fixtures came out today.
The Foxes host Tottenham on Monday 19 August before travelling to Fulham the following Saturday.
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Chelsea have agreed the £42m transfer of Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran, according to reports.
Italian giants Juventus are reportedly in advanced talks to sign Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz.
Bayern Munich are eyeing up a summer move for Chelsea’s Levi Colwill, according to reports.
Follow our LIVE TRANSFER BLOG for all the latest deals, gossip and exclusives.
