Former Chelsea Manager ‘snubs two Premier League jobs’ because of Gareth Southgate.

Graham Potter, the former manager of Brighton and Chelsea, is currently not in a hurry to return to management as he waits to see if the England national team job becomes available.

Potter, who left Chelsea in April 2023 after a challenging tenure where he won only 12 out of 31 matches, is taking his time to consider his next move despite being linked with several high-profile roles, including Ajax, Napoli, and Nice. He has also been mentioned in connection with a potential return to Brighton or a move to Leicester City if their current manager, Enzo Maresca, departs.

The primary reason for Potter’s delay is his interest in potentially succeeding Gareth Southgate as England manager. Southgate’s contract is set to expire at the end of 2024, and he has postponed discussions about his future until after the Euro 2024 tournament. Southgate aims to lead England to their first major tournament victory since 1966, and Potter is keen on the possibility of taking over the national team should the position become available.

Potter is currently on gardening leave from Chelsea, receiving compensation during this period, which allows him the luxury of waiting for the right opportunity. Although he would consider the Manchester United job if it became available and he was approached, his primary focus remains on the England role.

Potter has spoken to various clubs over the past few months, more to gather information than to seek a new position actively. His career trajectory has been steadily upward since his managerial start at Ostersunds in Sweden, followed by stints at Swansea, Brighton, and Chelsea.

Meanwhile, the England national team is gearing up for their Euro 2024 campaign, which kicks off in two weeks with a match against Serbia. They have upcoming warm-up games against Bosnia and Herzegovina at St James’ Park and Iceland at Wembley. Southgate expressed his enthusiasm for playing in different locations around the country, highlighting the passion of football fans in various regions and looking forward to the matches.