Former Arsenal player Paul Merson has stated that he wants Graham Potter to stay as Chelsea head coach, while warning the club about its transfer activity. It comes amid growing pressure on the manager, having hit a poor run of form as of late across all competitions.
It leaves the Blues languishing in mid-table, knocked out of both domestic competitions and behind after the first leg of their round of 16 Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund. Expectations were only taken that step further in January after another huge transfer spend, meaning the recent slump has led to mounting calls for a change of management.
"I’m sure there will be people out there that think I’m the problem, absolutely," Potter said after recent defeat to Southampton. "I don’t think they’re right but I’m not arrogant enough to say their opinion isn’t worth articulating.
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"My job is to help the team, keep working through a team period, we’ve had to make some changes today and the truth is we took a step back in our performance in the first half. The response in the second half was good, but it wasn’t good enough.”
Despite the poor run of form that includes just one goal scored in the month of February, Merson believes that the manager should stay, questioning the recruitment strategy at the club. He told SportsKeeda: "I want him [Potter] to stay. I'm not sure if he's the one bringing these players in. I'm watching these players and I wonder whether these signings are better than the players they've got.
"They are absolutely not. So why are they buying these players? They might very well offload players like Mason Mount and Conor Gallagher and profit off their sales because they are academy graduates. And then suddenly, they'll figure out that the club has lost its soul."
Both Mount and Gallagher have struggled for form as of late and their subsequent links to a potential transfer exit points towards a switch. However, it remains to be seen if they or Potter will have time to turn things around during a difficult period of transition, with Todd Boehly and the hierarchy holding the final decision.
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