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LONDON. — Thomas Tuchel has been sacked as Chelsea manager, but it was not all down to the poor results this season already, according to reports.

The German looked shell-shocked as the Blues were handed an embarrassing defeat in Croatia as Dinamo Zagreb did a job on them in the Champions League football on Tuesday. It turned out to be the last time Tuchel will sit in the Chelsea dugout as new owner Todd Boehly ruthlessly wielded the axe yesterday morning.

It follows a shoddy start to the season that has included defeats to Leeds and Southampton while West Ham were a controversial VAR call away from claiming a point at Stamford Bridge at the weekend.

The former Borussia Dortmund and Paris St-Germain boss exits after winning three trophies in 20 months.

Owner Boehly has placed Tuchel’s coaching staff in temporary charge until a replacement is found.

A club statement said the owners believed it was “the right time” to bring in a new head coach.

It is also understood that Chelsea will make a swift appointment and among the bookmakers’ favourites to take over are Brighton manager Graham Potter, former Spurs and PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino, former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane and current Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers.

In fact, Brighton manager Potter is the man Chelsea’s American owners want to replace the sacked Tuchel.

The Stamford Bridge club have been granted permission by Brighton to formally discuss the vacancy with Potter.

Chelsea are sixth in the English Premier League after three wins, one draw and two defeats.

Their new ownership oversaw a £255.3m spending spree in the summer window, thought to be a British record, bringing in eight new players.

But despite the outlay, the club’s form had been patchy and Tuchel has been critical of his players on occasion, as well as being fined twice for his behaviour already this season.

It is believed that Tuchel — who led Chelsea to the Champions League title in his first season — had lost the confidence of the squad and the board in recent times, and had become less communicative with both groups.

“As the new ownership group reaches 100 days since taking over the Club, and as it continues its hard work to take the club forward, the new owners believe it is the right time to make this transition,” a club statement said.  — The Daily Star