Chelsea: Key figure now 'very close to following Potter' to Stamford Bridge

Chelsea are set to appoint a director of football after Graham Potter was confirmed as the club’s new manager, with a recruitment coach from Brighton & Hove Albion also set to arrive, according to journalist Simon Phillips.

Potter has succeeded Thomas Tuchel as the Blues’ manager after the German was sacked on Wednesday morning following an inconsistent start to the season.

Chelsea confirmed in a statement this week that they had parted company with Tuchel in the wake of their 1-0 defeat to Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League.

It hinted that the new owners, led by chairman Todd Boehly, were eager to take the club in a different direction with a fresh leading figure in the dugout.

Matt Law of The Telegraph revealed that Potter had verbally agreed to become the Blues’ next manager after Brighton granted Chelsea permission to speak to their manager.

Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim and former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino were both also considered for the position.

But Potter always appeared to be the overwhelming favourite and penned a five-year contract in west London.

Journalist Dean Jones told GiveMeSport that the potential arrival of Brighton’s recruitment analyst Kyle Macauley would be an exciting one for fans, although it remains to be seen whether he will in fact make the move with Potter.

Phillips understands that a new director of football is set to be appointed at Stamford Bridge in the wake of Potter’s appointment.

The journalist adds that ensuring there was a figure in place to deal with the business side of things was a demand made by the incoming coach as part of his terms.

Phillips told GIVEMESPORT: “I got told last night that a football director will be very closely following Potter. That was part of