“Makes no sense” – Paul McGrath blasts Chelsea for splurging £22m on Graham Potter ahead of 2 managers dubbed ‘nothing but the best’

Former Manchester United defender Paul McGrath believes Chelsea’s decision to spend £22 million on Graham Potter when Zinedine Zidane and Mauricio Pochettino were available for free is a head-scratcher.

Chelsea dropped a bombshell last week by announcing that they have parted ways with Thomas Tuchel. The German, who led the club to UEFA Champions League glory last year, had a contract until 2024, but was surprisingly relieved of his duties.

While the world was still in shock, the Blues quickly turned their attention toward naming a replacement for Tuchel. Zidane and Pochettino, who are both currently without a club, were mooted as potential options.

However, Potter emerged as the Stamford Bridge outfit’s preferred option to take charge as their new manager. They then paid around £22 million to acquire the services of the Englishman and his backroom staff from Brighton & Hove Albion.

McGrath has now slammed the Blues for splurging a significant amount of money on Potter when Zidane and Pochettino were available.

The Irishman thinks they are two of the best managers around and feels the Blues’ decision to sign the Englishman instead does not make sense. He wrote in his Sunday World column:

“When you are Chelsea and you need a manager, it behoves a club that were European Champions last year and are World Club Champions to get nothing but the best.”

“And right now ‘nothing but the best,’ in terms of available managers, meant either Zinedine Zidane or Mauricio Pochettino.”

“Instead of going for either man who are free agents, Chelsea paid, it is believed, a total of £22 million to loosen Potter and his coaches from their Brighton contracts. It makes no sense to me.”

Potter has put pen to paper on a five-year contract with the London giants. He has also taken a host of his backroom staff, including Billy Reid, Bruno and Kyle Macaulay, from Brighton to Stamford Bridge.