Football rumours: Chelsea standing by Graham Potter despite Southampton loss

Mon, 20 Feb, 2023 - 08:45

PA Sport Staff

What the papers say

Tenth-placed Chelsea may have suffered a 1-0 defeat to Southampton on Saturday but owner Todd Boehly is reportedly standing by manager Graham Potter. The Mirror says Boehly and the rest of the club’s board will continue to support the Englishman, who has four-and-a-half years left on his contract, despite the 47-year-old being booed off at Stamford Bridge following defeat to the Saints.

Potter’s predecessor at Chelsea, Thomas Tuchel, has been marked for a shock return to the Paris St Germain dugout. Poor form has PSG bosses considering replacing their current manager Christophe Galtier with the German, according to the Express which cites Canal Plus. Tuchel took over at the Parc des Princes ahead of the 2018-19 campaign and led the Parisians to two league titles and the Champions League final before being sacked. The 49-year-old picked up almost immediately at Stamford Bridge and took the Blues to Champions League glory over Manchester City, but Tuchel was again dismissed. Galtier’s seeming inability to close out crucial matches could reportedly see him make way for proven winner Tuchel.

Croatia’s Josko Gvardiol puts his hands over his eyes to shield the sun during the FIFA World Cup third place play-off match — It is a career-goal for Josko Gvardiol to play in the Premier League, the player says (Adam Davy/PA)

Josko Gvardiol’s relocation to the UK seems like a matter of ‘when’ not ‘if’. The RB Leipzig centre-back has told the Times he “wants to play in the Premier League”, could have signed for Chelsea last summer and also came closing to joining Leeds in 2020. The Croatia defender, who also told the paper “my goal in my career is to play in the Premier League”, will get his chance to take on some of the league’s best when the 21-year-old’s side face Manchester City in the Champions League on Wednesday.

The Sun reports Chelsea and Tottenham are considering a summer move for Brighton’s Evan Ferguson. The paper adds that Spurs consider the Republic of Ireland forward (18) a possible long-term replacement for England captain Harry Kane, while Chelsea’s Potter was in charge on the south coast when the teenager was signed by the Seagulls.

Social media round-up

Man Utd owners the Glazers 'handed chance to stay' as third offer lands on table https://t.co/JT071Ie1qN

— Express Sport (@DExpress_Sport) February 19, 2023

Antonio Rudiger could be the defensive reinforcement Tottenham so desperately need #THFC https://t.co/kkfUOsKKdY

— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) February 19, 2023

Players to watch

Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech on the pitch — The highly technically skilled Ziyech was nicknamed ‘The Wizard’ at Ajax, from which he joined Chelsea in 2020 (Mike Egerton/PA)

Hakim Ziyech: Fichajes reports Bayern Munich have joined PSG in the hunt for Chelsea’s 29-year-old Morocco winger.

Sergio Gomez: The Spanish outlet also says Sevilla want to bring Manchester City’s full-back (22) to the club on a loan deal.

Marcus Thuram: Manchester United and Bayern may want the 25-year-old Borussia Monchengladbach and France Forward, but both are likely to lose out to Inter Milan, according to Italy’s Calciomercato.