Sacked Chelsea boss Graham Potter ‘turns down chance’ for return to management as ex-Liverpool and Newcastle man emerges as favourite

Graham Potter has turned down the opportunity to replace Brendan Rodgers at Leicester City just days after his departure from Chelsea.

The 47-year-old was dismissed by the Stamford Bridge club on Sunday night, following Rodgers out of Premier League management after the former Chelsea coach was sacked by the Foxes earlier in the day.

Potter was made the strong favourite with the bookmakers to take over at Leicester, but is said to have declined the offer as he seeks to take a break, according to a number of reports.

The former Brighton man enjoyed a successful spell on the south coast, earning him a chance at Stamford Bridge following the surprise dismissal of Thomas Tuchel earlier this season.

Potter may also have been put off by the prospect of leading a team out of a relegation battle after a tough six months with Chelsea.

Despite guiding the club into the Champions League quarter-finals, Potter was unable to maintain a consistent run of form in the league, with Chelsea sitting in 11th at the time of his sacking.

Leicester hailed Rodgers as a club legend following his sacking but insisted the time was now right for a change as the Foxes aim to pull away from the bottom three.

Announcing their decision to part ways with Rodgers, Leicester City chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha said: “The achievements of the team under Brendan’s management speak for themselves – we’ve experienced some of our finest footballing moments under his guidance and will always be grateful to him and his staff for the heights they helped us to reach on the pitch.

“Off the pitch, Brendan embraced the culture of the Club and helped cultivate an outstanding developmental environment, particularly during the transition to Seagrave, and provided strong leadership during the unprecedented challenge of the coronavirus pandemic. His place in Leicester City history is assured.

“However, performances and results during the current season have been below our shared expectations. It had been our belief that continuity and stability would be key to correcting our course, particularly given our previous achievements under Brendan’s management.

“Regrettably, the desired improvement has not been forthcoming and, with 10 games of the season remaining, the Board is compelled to take alternative action to protect our Premier League status.

“The task ahead of us in our final 10 games is clear. We now need to come together – fans, players and staff – and show the poise, quality and fight to secure our position as a Premier League club.”

Former Chelsea manager Rafael Benitez is among the leading names to be appointed at Leicester, with reports in Spain claiming he is interested in the role.

Earlier this year, the Champions League winning manager expressed his desire to return to Premier League management, with the Spaniard currently based in Liverpool.

“You need a project. I was lucky enough to manage a lot of teams and because I did that and won some trophies, I can say now ‘I don’t like this project, but I like this one,’” he said on Sky Sports in mid-February.

“I am fine and happy in England, in terms of the Premier League my family and everything. Sometimes you make decisions that are a risk but the reality is the Premier League is the best league in the world and I want to be around.

“You need a project that with all the experience that I and my staff have, we can use our experience to build something but the problem is the project can only be three weeks before there is pressure. So we need some time and the right project.”