Graham Potter ‘rejects Rangers move after being approached to replace under-fire manager Michael Beale’, as axed Chelsea boss ‘holds out for offer from a Champions League club’

• Graham Potter has turned down the chance to manage Scottish side Rangers 
• It comes after he also snubbed a move to join French club Lyon last week 
• Listen to the latest episode of Mail Sport’s podcast It’s All Kicking Off!

Former Chelsea manager Graham Potter has turned down a return to management at Rangers after he was reportedly approached to take over from under-fire manager Michael Beale. 

It comes as the 48-year-old, who was sacked by Chelsea just over five months ago, also declined an offer to take over at Ligue 1 side Lyon last week after meeting with the side’s owner. 

While Lyon are languishing at the bottom of the French first division, Rangers have also been struggling at the start of the new season, with the Glasgow outfit being knocked out of the Champions League qualifiers following a 5-1 hammering to PSV Eindhoven. 

They were also beaten by rivals Celtic in the league before the international break, having lost two and won two of their opening Scottish Premiership matches. 

Questions have been mounting over Beale’s position at the club, with The Sun claiming that the club are looking to part ways with manager Beale, and had seen Potter as a potential replacement. 

Graham Potter (pictured) has reportedly turned down the chance to take charge of Rangers

It comes as the Scottish Premiership side could seek alternative’s to Michael Beale (pictured) following a poor run of form 

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The outlet claims that Potter ‘is keen’ to join a team that are currently qualified for Champions League football or have the potential to reach that level, claiming that he is ‘relaxed and not keen to rush back into management’. 

The former Swansea and Ostersund manager also rejected an offer to take over at Leicester as a replacement for Brendan Rogers before the club were relegated. 

After enjoying four successful seasons at Brighton, Potter replaced outgoing boss Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea, with the club paying the Seagulls £21.5million to land the English manager in September 2022.   

But much to the surprise of his playing cohort, he would be sacked after seven months at the helm, having suffered 11 losses in 31 games across all competitions with the Blues. 

Potter was also heavily backed to become the new Nice manager back in May but that move did not materialise. 

Beale, meanwhile, has been speaking on the pressure surrounding him following Ranger’s 1-0 defeat by Celtic earlier this month.  

‘I understand it when the results have been the last two. I understand the frustration with the fans,’ Beale said.

Potter (pictured) was sacked five months ago and has had several offers to step back into management but is yet to take up any of those offers, reportedly holding out for a Champions League club

‘It is with the shirt. It is not just at Rangers, it is anywhere. It is a derby, a game where there is a lot of emotion involved and the fans expect their team to get a result and we didn’t.

‘That is par for the course. In terms of pressure, you are always under pressure in this job. You are only ever a couple of results not going your way to feel that.

‘The most pressure is the one we put on ourselves and we have fallen short of that today because I expected and wanted us to get a result.

‘Over the course of the 90 minutes, I think the result is harsh on us but in terms of these games, they are only about the result.’

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