New Chelsea boss Graham Potter ‘plotting first signing’

Graham Potter will have to wait a little longer to take charge of his first match as Chelsea manager, with The Blues’ game against Fulham on Saturday cancelled. 

Football across the UK this weekend has been postponed as a mark of respect following the passing of HM Queen Elizabeth II.

Chelsea were due to make the short trip to Craven Cottage for Saturday’s early game, but Potter will now most likely sit in the home dugout at Stamford Bridge for the first time on Wednesday, when they host Red Bull Salzburg in the Champions League.

The former Brighton boss will now have a little longer to prepare for his first game in charge, but it appears that he has already been planning ahead.

According to The Express via BILD, Potter is plotting a move for RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol, possibly looking to make him his first signing as Blues manager.

The report claims that, having shown initial interest over the summer, Chelsea could move once again for the player during the upcoming January transfer window.

The Croatian defender has reportedly attracted interest from clubs across Europe after an impressive debut season for the German side last term.

Gvardiol is a target for Chelsea

Gvardiol, 20, missed just five Bundesliga matches last season, making 46 appearances across all competitions.

The defender, who joined Leipzig from Dinamo Zagreb in the summer of 2021, established himself as a starting centre-back for the club and was one of the division’s most impressive defenders last season.

Ex-Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel, who was sacked on Wednesday, spent much of the summer looking to add defensive reinforcements to his squad, having lost both Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger at the end of last term.

Kalidou Koulibaly joined the club fairly early on in the window, and Wesley Fofana then arrived from Leicester City in the final week.

Now, it is claimed in the report that Chelsea tabled a £77 million offer for Gvardiol over the summer, which included a clause meaning that the Croatian would have remained at his current side on loan for the remainder of this season, before joining Chelsea next summer.

The bid was rejected, but Chelsea could reignite their interest with a fresh offer in January, it is claimed.