"Today is the day for final decisions" - Fabrizio Romano confirms Chelsea plans to appoint new manager and director of football

Chelsea are set to announce the appointment of Graham Potter as their new head coach after the club decided to sack Thomas Tuchel on Wednesday, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Potter, who started his managerial career with Swedish outfit Ostersund in 2011, has been managing Brighton & Hove Albion since the summer of 2019. He has consistently earned plaudits for his attractive brand of football.

The Seagulls are currently placed fourth in the 2022-23 Premier League standings after six matches.

Taking to Twitter, Romano shed light on the Blues' pursuit of Potter. He also added that Boehly is hoping to bring in a new director of football to help with the ongoing transition at Stamford Bridge. He wrote:

"Chelsea have their contract proposal ready to complete the appointment of Graham Potter, today is the day for final decisions. It’s up to Potter, now. And it's not over. Todd Boehly also wants a new director of football to be appointed soon and he's working on it."

Tuchel, on the other hand, was shown the door after Chelsea slumped to a 1-0 defeat at Dinamo Zagreb in their UEFA Champions League opener on Tuesday (September 8). He guided the club to three trophies, including the 2021 UEFA Champions League crown.

In his exclusive column for Caught Offside, Romano provided more details and wrote:

"There are the final details to be discussed in the next few hours and then Graham Potter will become the new Chelsea manager, the feelings are positive already from Wednesday afternoon when the contacts started."

He added:

"Todd Boehly believes that Potter is a manager with a vision for the present and the future, he can have an immediate impact on the squad but also an ability to build the identity of the coming years."

The west London outfit are currently sixth in the Premier League table with 10 points from six games. The club will next lock horns with London rivals Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday (September 10).

Thomas Tuchel set to receive sizeable payout after Chelsea sacking

According to the Daily Mail, Thomas Tuchel's firing is set to cost Chelsea's new ownership a hefty £15 million. The club is expected to dish out £13 million to Tuchel and £2 million to his backroom staff.

The Blues hierarchy's relationship with the former Paris Saint-Germain manager reportedly began to deteriorate during the club's tour of the United States. As per the report, the stakeholders were critical of the dressing room atmosphere and last season's dip in form.