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Brighton & Hove Albion boss Graham Potter has reportedly agreed to take over as the new Chelsea manager.
The Englishman quickly emerged as the front-runner for the vacant Stamford Bridge post after Chelsea surprisingly sacked Champions League-winning coach Thomas Tuchel on Wednesday morning.
The Blues are understood to have also sounded out Mauricio Pochettino, but Potter was their first choice and talkSPORT reports that talks between the two parties have gone well.
Brighton gave Chelsea permission to speak to their manager yesterday, and the London outfit are now hopeful of completing the appointment today.
Potter is understood to have indicated that he is happy to take over at Chelsea following face-to-face talks with Todd Boehly, who sacked Tuchel exactly 100 days after gaining control of the club.
The 47-year-old former Swansea City boss Potter is now expected to be appointed in time to take charge of Saturday’s West London derby against Fulham at Craven Cottage.
Reports have suggested that Chelsea will have to pay up to £20m in compensation to prise Potter away from the Amex Stadium, in addition to the £15m that it is rumoured to have cost them to sack Tuchel.
The Blues are coming off the back of the highest-spending transfer window in English football history, having splashed more than £250m on new arrivals this summer.
Potter will take over a team that has lost three of their last five games across all competitions, including a shock 1-0 Champions League defeat to Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday which proved to be Tuchel’s 100th and final match at the helm.
Chelsea currently sit 10th in the Premier League table, five points behind early leaders Arsenal after six games.