12 May 2023 , 23:00
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Sir Jim Ratcliffe is hoping to convince former Chelsea boss Graham Potter to become the new OGC Nice head coach.
Potter, 47, was sacked back in April after just six months at Stamford Bridge following a rotten run of results. The Blues' fortunes have not improved since Potter's exit and they are currently languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League.
Despite his swift dismissal, Potter's stock is still high and Ratcliffe - who appears to be closing in on a deal for Manchester United - has designs on persuading the former Brighton man to return to the dugout with the Ligue 1 outfit he acquired back in 2019.
French outlet Nice-Matin have outlined that Ineos director of sport, Dave Brailsford, has identified Potter as the perfect replacement for Lucien Favre, who was dismissed back in February. Didier Digard is currently in charge on an interim basis until the end of the season.
Nice are currently eighth in Ligue 1 and are set to take stock of their options between now and the summer break before appointing Favre's permanent successor.
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The report claims that Brailsford is leaning towards appointing a British manager; something that Ratcliffe is also on board with. Whilst Potter would fit the bill, it remains to be seen if he would be open to making his return to coaching overseas. He previously worked in Sweden before he was lured to the Premier League by Brighton back in 2019.
Join the debate! Where would you like to see Potter manage next? Let us know here.
Potter lasted just six months at Chelsea before he was sacked in April (Getty Images)As well as sourcing a new head coach for Nice, Ratcliffe is hoping to finally strike a deal with the Glazer family for Manchester United. After submitting bids across three different stages of the takeover process, the Ineos chief is expected to be named as the club's preferred bidder in the coming days.
Ratcliffe has submitted a proposal which would allow Avram and Joel Glazer the chance to retain a small stake in the club. Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, who was considered as the frontrunner throughout the process, has refused to admit defeat, however, and could even launch a last-gasp bid to try and prevent Ratcliffe from closing a deal.
The end of the saga will come as a welcome boost to Erik ten Hag, who is keen to press ahead with his preparations for the 2023/24 campaign.
The Dutchman is eager to sign an elite No.9 in the summer transfer window - but amid all the uncertainty over the club's future, he admitted last week that he is still in the dark over how much he'll have to spend. Tottenham talisman Harry Kane and Napoli hotshot Victor Osimhen are believed to be Manchester United's top targets.