Graham Potter’s appointment at Chelsea is part of a ‘long term’ plan for the club, something which could impact former Aston Villa man Carney Chukwuemeka.
The 18-year-old completed a summer move to Stamford Bridge from Villa Park in the summer transfer window. The teenager had just six months remaining on his deal at Villa and was training with the under 21s after refusing to sign a new contract with the club.
His move to Chelsea came out of the blue last month, with Villa accepting an offer of around £20m for the youngster. He signed a six-year deal with the club, then managed by Thomas Tuchel as Chelsea splashed the cash under new owner Todd Bohley.
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Despite signing for Tuchel, Chukwuemeka didn’t get the chance to play a competitive game under the guidance of the German. The midfielder was an unused substitute for two Premier League games as well as Tuchel’s final game in charge, a 1-0 Champions League loss vs Dinamo Zagreb.
After showing Tuchel the door, Bohley and the rest of the Chelsea hierarchy moved quickly to bring Brighton and Hove Albion manager Graham Potter to the club. The Englishman has signed a five-year deal at Stamford Bridge.
According to the Guardian this week, the appointment of the head coach is part of a ‘long term’ plan. Chelsea are said to be looking to move away from the culture of quickly sacking a manager, and will stand by the new man, even if the club don’t qualify for the Champions League this season, as long as progress can be seen.
Potter is seen as a builder, having developed Brighton from relegation candidates to an established Premier League side during his time at the club. The head coach worked with a mixture of youngsters and senior pros at the Amex Stadium, helping to develop the likes of Tariq Lamptey, Moises Caiedo and Alexis Mac Allister.
This summer, Potter showed his willingness to work with youngsters with new arrivals including 19-year-old Levi Colwill and 21-year-old Billy Gilmour on loan from Chelsea. 18-year-old striker Julio Enciso also arrived and made his debut in the EFL second round clash vs Forest Green Rovers.
They are all good signs for Chukwuemeka, who will look to impress his new manager in training and possibly matches over the next few months. His first chance will be in the Champions League clash vs Red Bull Salzburg on Wednesday night.
There is, however, one concern that the change of manager may bring for Chukwuemeka. According to the Times , Chelsea are again ‘willing to invest heavily’ during the January transfer window. Something that will only increase competition for places.
Potter was known to use the loan market in order to develop players during his time at Brighton. It could be an option the manager turns to if the former Villa man doesn’t catch his eye over the next few months.
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