“I really wanted to do things at Chelsea” — Graham Potter

Former Chelsea manager Graham Potter has pulled back the curtain on his time at Stamford Bridge, shedding light on the high-stakes moves that never materialized during his tenure.

In a candid interview, Potter revealed that he tried to bring Premier League stars Harry Kane and Declan Rice to Chelsea—a move that could have dramatically altered the club’s fortunes during his time in charge.

The West London side had been in the headlines for their eye-watering transfer spending, shelling out £300 million in the January 2023 window alone.

However, Graham Potter hinted that while the club spent heavily, the focus was on securing young European talents rather than landing proven stars like Kane and Rice, who could have had an immediate impact.

“It was almost like the perfect storm,” Potter told The Telegraph, referencing the intense pressure that built up around Chelsea’s massive spending spree.

“We lost key players to injury—Reece [James], Wesley [Fofana], Raheem [Sterling], and Christian [Pulisic]. Then the ownership decided to invest a lot of money, and suddenly people expected results overnight. But when you spend £300 million, the pressure on the team and coach goes through the roof.”

Potter revealed that while there were attempts to make marquee signings, they didn’t materialize.

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“I think if I’d have spent it on Harry Kane and Declan Rice, then fair enough. At the time, that was the decision. We tried to support the strategy as best we could, but it left us with the challenge of having too many players after January, and they couldn’t go anywhere.”

The missed opportunity to bring in Kane—England’s prolific goal-scorer—and Rice, a midfield general who eventually moved to Arsenal, speaks to the complex dynamics behind Chelsea’s transfer dealings during Potter’s brief spell.

With both Kane and Rice having Premier League experience and leadership qualities, their presence might have alleviated the instability that followed Chelsea’s injury crisis and ambitious squad overhaul.

Ultimately, Potter’s inability to land the two Premier League icons adds another ‘what if’ moment to his time at Stamford Bridge, one where different signings could have possibly shifted the narrative during one of the most challenging periods in the club’s recent history