Chelsea have appointed Graham Potter as their new manager on a five-year contract.
Potter has left Brighton to take over at Stamford Bridge after Chelsea moved quickly to appoint him after Thomas Tuchel after he was sacked.
The 47-year-old has said he is “incredibly proud and excited to represent Chelsea” and he will take charge of the team for the first time away at Fulham on Saturday.
Potter impressed new co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali with his vision for Chelsea and the club were willing to pay a £15million release clause in his contract.
Potter said: “I am very excited to partner with Chelsea’s new ownership group and look forward to meeting and working with the exciting group of players and to develop a team and culture that our amazing fans can be proud of.
“I would also like to place my sincere thanks to Brighton & Hove Albion for allowing me this opportunity and in particular Tony Bloom and all the players, staff and supporters for their continued support during my time at the club.”
Chelsea are thought to have considered other contenders for the role, including Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim and former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino.
But the new Chelsea owners quickly identified Potter as the man to lead the new era at Stamford Bridge.
Boehly said: “We are thrilled to bring Graham to Chelsea. He is a proven coach and an innovator in the Premier League who fits our vision for the club.
“Not only is he extremely talented on the pitch, he has skills and capabilities that extend beyond the pitch which will make Chelsea a more successful club.
“He has had a major impact at his previous clubs and we look forward to his positive impact at Chelsea. We look forward to supporting him, his coaching team and the squad in realising their full potential in the coming months and years.”
Former Ostersunds FK and Swansea manager Potter led Brighton to a ninth-place finish last season, their highest ever top-flight finish.
Potter’s assistant Billy Reid, first-team coaches Bjorn Hamberg and Bruno, goalkeeping coach Ben Roberts and transfer guru Kyle Macaulay will join him at the Chelsea.
Co-controlling owners Eghbali and Jose E. Feliciano said: “Graham is a football innovator and winner on the pitch and a leader off the pitch. He has deeply impressed us with his ideas and approach to football.
“We are thrilled to partner with Graham to build a winning team, one that embodies the culture of collaboration, innovation, teamwork, player development, and a commitment to excellence on and off the pitch. We are fortunate to have Graham and his team as our partners in that journey.”
Potter takes over with Chelsea sixth in the Premier League.
