Graham Potter 'is handed a contract worth £60MILLION' after swapping Brighton for Chelsea.

Chelsea have given new coach Graham Potter a £60million contract upon his appointment on Thursday, and want him to help choose the club's new sporting director.

According to a report in the Telegraph, the five-year deal is one of the longest given out in Chelsea history and is worth £12million a year - which could earn the former Brighton boss £60million if he stays the full term.

That contract is on top of the £15million the club paid to release the 47-year-old from his Seagulls deal.

Potter has taken five members of his staff from The Amex Stadium to West London including assistant Billy Reid, coaches Bjorn Hamberg and Bruno, and goalkeeping coach Ben Roberts.

While recruitment specialist Kyle Macaulay has also followed from the south coast and will have a say in all future Chelsea transfer activity. Potter will also help in the search for a new sporting director at the club.

The Blues want to find a 'world class' director, with the club talking to people with both Premier League experience and those who have worked on the continent.

Ideally, Chelsea would like to have the new person in place before the Premier League stops for the World Cup this November, allowing time ahead of any possible movement in the January transfer window.

New co-controlling owner Todd Boehly had placed himself in the role of sporting director in the summer. However, he now wants a permanent person in that role that would allow him to step back, and just offer support to the new full-time appointment, along with Behdad Eghbali.

Both Boehly and Eghbali are said to have been impressed with Potter's 'risk taking' after starting his coaching career in Sweden with Ostersunds, before moving to Swansea and then his good work with Brighton in the Premier League - they were also attracted to Potter's Masters in Emotional Intelligence, too.

The club wasted no time in getting Potter's appointment secured. With the deal being agreed a little over 24 hours after the club had parted ways with Thomas Tuchel.

Chelsea also held talks with former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino on Wednesday, but decided on Potter, who played Premier League football for Southampton in the mid-90s, as the man to take the club forward.

Confirming his appointment Chelsea's new American owner Boehly said.

“We are thrilled to bring Graham to Chelsea. He is a proven coach and an innovator in the Premier League who fits our vision for the club. Not only is he extremely talented on the pitch, he has skills and capabilities that extend beyond the pitch which will make Chelsea a more successful club.

He has had a major impact at his previous clubs and we look forward to his positive impact at Chelsea. We look forward to supporting him, his coaching team and the squad in realising their full potential in the coming months and years.”