Ex Chelsea boss 'serious candidate' to take over Premier League rivals

Former Chelsea manager Graham Potter has emerged as a 'serious candidate' to take on the vacant role at newly promoted Leicester City ahead of the upcoming Premier League season.

The 49-year-old has been out of work since being sacked by Chelsea in April 2023. Potter managed just 31 Blues matches after arriving from Brighton, losing 11 and leaving the club 11th in the Premier League when dismissed.

Chelsea have since been managed by Bruno Saltor, Frank Lampard and Mauricio Pochettino with the latter sacked last month despite an impressive end to the top flight campaign. Pochettino was then replaced by Maresca, who led Leicester City back to the Premier League at his first attempt last season.

Earlier this month, a Foxes statement read: "Given the promising foundations established during his single season in charge, the Club is disappointed that Enzo has decided at this stage that he no longer wants to be part of our vision.

"However, with Enzo’s decision made and the Board’s terms for his departure met, we wish him well in his future endeavours. He leaves with the appreciation of everyone at the Club for his work in helping us to achieve an immediate return to the Premier League during the 2023/24 season."

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Leicester City have since been searching for a replacement and it's former Chelsea and Brighton man Potter who has emerged as a potential frontrunner. Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano took to social media on Wednesday to confirm: "Leicester City have made contact with Graham Potter as serious candidate to replace Enzo Maresca. Talks ongoing to make decision on the favourite option but Potter’s appreciated, waiting for club to decide."

Potter had been strongly linked with a move to Ajax in recent months but it later emerged that he had rejected an offer from the Dutch outfit. The manager is also a name touted as a potential successor to Gareth Southgate as England manager.