West Ham United have confirmed the appointment of Graham Potter as their new head coach.
The 49-year-old, who previously managed Brighton & Hove Albion and Chelsea, returns to the Premier League after a 21-month hiatus.
Potter has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with the club, succeeding Julen Lopetegui, who was dismissed after just 20 matches in charge.
In a statement on West Ham’s official website, Potter expressed his excitement: “It was important for me to wait for the right opportunity, one that felt right for both me and the club. I believe I can contribute to West Ham United, and that’s how I feel about this role.”
Potter will be joined by assistant coach Bruno, first-team coaches Billy Reid and Narcis Pelach, while goalkeeper coach Xavi Valero will remain in his position.
Potter’s playing career spanned 13 years, primarily in the Football League as a full-back for clubs such as Birmingham City, Stoke City, and West Bromwich Albion.
He made eight Premier League appearances for Southampton during the 1996/97 season, including featuring in the iconic 6-3 victory over Manchester United.
After retiring in 2005, Potter transitioned to coaching, beginning as a football development manager at Hull University and later serving as the technical director of its sports program.
His managerial career began in December 2010 with Swedish fourth-tier side Östersunds, where he led the club to multiple promotions and reached the top tier by 2015.
Under his leadership, Östersunds won the Swedish Cup in 2017 and qualified for the Europa League, where they reached the round of 32 before being eliminated by Arsenal.
Potter moved to Brighton in May 2019, where he transformed the team’s playing style.
In his first season, Brighton finished 15th in the Premier League, a position they matched in the 2020/21 campaign.
The 2021/22 season saw a breakthrough, with the club finishing 9th, while the 2022/23 season marked their best-ever Premier League start.
However, his time at Chelsea was less successful, with Potter being dismissed after a series of poor results left the club languishing in 11th place in the Premier League.
