Some Chelsea players 'didn't know who Potter was' and 'made Quidditch jokes'

Some Chelsea players had to look up who Graham Potter was before making Quidditch jokes about his wizard namesake, it's been claimed.

Potter's five-year contract was terminated just six months in by Todd Boehly on Sunday (April 2), with inconsistent results and underwhelming performances costing him his job. The Englishman had previously been given the backing of the board to undertake a long-term project.

But with the Blues languishing in 11th in the Premier League table, time was called on the experiment. Coming from Brighton, where he'd overachieved, Potter wasn't the typical Chelsea appointment given it was his first big job.

According to The Independent, more than one player in the extremely bloated and very much international squad was unaware of who he was upon his arrival at Stamford Bridge.

And there were said to be repeated references to Harry Potter, with the Evening Standard adding the sacked Chelsea manager earned "unflattering nicknames" based on his shared surname.

It was also reported that while Potter was well liked by the players, there was a lack of respect for him, which played a part in his dismissal.

Was Potter the wrong man from the start? Let us know in the comments section.

His colleague Bruno Saltor, who followed him to west London from Brighton, has been appointed interim head coach with the search now on for his permanent replacement.

Julian Nagelsmann, who was only recently sacked himself by Bayern Munich, has emerged as the early favourite. Fulham boss Marco Silva has also been linked as a surprise option.

Boehly and Co will no doubt want someone in place before they face Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Champions League later this month, with the European competition the main focus for the remainder of the season.