PHOTO: REUTERS
After less than seven months in charge, Chelsea fired manager Graham Potter in the wake of Saturday’s 2-0 loss to Aston Villa at home.
Since taking over for Thomas Tuchel at Stamford Bridge on September 8, the Englishman had lost 11 of 31 games.
Chelsea, who spent more than £550 million on new players this season, is now 11th in the Premier League, 12 points behind the top four.
Owners of the team claimed they were “disappointed” to dismiss Potter.
Bruno Saltor, who worked with Potter at Brighton, will lead the team as temporary head coach, according to Chelsea, who also claim that Potter “has agreed to collaborate with the club to facilitate a smooth transition.”
In a statement, co-controlling owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali said: “We have the highest degree of respect for Graham as a coach and as a person.
“He has always conducted himself with professionalism and integrity and we are all disappointed in this outcome.”
In September, when the Blues were sixth in the top division and after a summer in which they spent £255 million on acquisitions, Potter took over for Tuchel, who had won three titles in 20 months at Stamford Bridge.
Owner Boehly spent £288 million in January in yet another extraordinary spending binge.
Enzo Fernandez of Argentina and Mykhailo Mudryk of Ukraine were two of eight mid-season acquisitions, although the new players have had trouble integrating onto the field.