Chelsea News, the Blues have reached a verbal agreement with Brighton manager Graham Potter to replace Thomas Tuchel as their next head coach.

Tuchel was sacked on Wednesday in the wake of Chelsea's 1-0 loss to Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League and just six games into the new Premier League season.

Chelsea owner Todd Boehly met Potter in central London on Wednesday afternoon for what were described as "positive talks" about the Brighton manager's future role at Stamford Bridge and the club's plans to develop the whole football operation.

Those discussions continued early on Thursday morning, with the focus on the legal details of his contract and Potter's backroom staff.

No contracts have yet been signed, however both sides have reached a verbal agreement about the ​47-year-old taking over at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea made it clear they were prepared to meet Brighton's exit clause figure for Potter.

Mauricio Pochettino and Zinedine Zidane, who are both out of work, as well as Sporting in Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim were all also on Chelsea's radar.

Potter will become the first managerial appointment of the Boehly era following his summer takeover.

The American is still acting as sporting director having moved on director Marina Granovskaia, chairman Bruce Buck and technical and performance advisor Petr Cech in a complete overhaul of Roman Abramovich's trusted staff.

For more Chelsea News, follow Sportz Point.

Premier League, also known as English Premier League, is a top-tier football league in England. This league consists of 20 teams in a league system with a relegation and promotion system to/from the English Championship.

Each team plays 38 matches against every other 19 at home and away. The seasons generally start in August and run till May. The Premier League is the most-watched sports league globally and is broadcast in over 200 territories with an average number of viewers of 4.7 billion.

The top 4 finishers of every year qualify directly for the UEFA Champions League. Also, the Premier League is the most valuable sports league in the world, with a valuation of 4 billion pounds.

This league also has a direct effect on the economy of England. Different regions have different clubs with private ownership. The prize money for the winning team is 125 million pounds. Along with this winning amount, TV/ broadcast money also gets added. And the rest of the sponsorship money is equally distributed among the other 19 clubs.

Read also- Most Bundesliga titles till 2023

Premier League: History

The Football League First Division was the top-tier football league in England from 1888. But, post-1970s and early 1980s, the league started to reach a low point with incidents like the 1985 Heysel Stadium disaster, which got them banned from UEFA Compettions for 5 years. 

But after England reached the 1990 FIFA World Cup semi-finals, the downward trend started to reverse. The stadium started to get filled, and the Taylor Report on stadium safety standards also helped clubs to create better standard stadiums. 

After a dispute over TV rights and maximising the club revenue, the big five clubs, Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Everton, and Arsenal opted to come out of the Football League First Division and create another league. 

At the close of the 1990-91 season, the FA Premier League was formed, and from 1992-93 the Premier League era started with 22 teams. Manchester United were the first Premier League champions and went on to win seven of the first nine trophies.

Who has won the most Premier League titles?

Till now, 51 teams have played in the Premier League since the tournament was rebranded in 1992. 7 teams have successfully won the Premier League title. Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, and Tottenham are considered the 'Big Six' in the Premier League. Unfortunately, Tottenham haven't lifted any major title in their history, but still, they go toe to toe with every club and take part in the title race.

Most Premier League titles won by the clubs

Most Premier League Titles

7. Liverpool FC - 1 title

The Anfield Giants are one of the most popular English Clubs. Midfield maestros Steven Gerrard and William Shankly were a few of the legends that the club produced.

However, Liverpool had to wait for 30 years for their first-ever Premier League title. The club won the Premier League once in 2019-20 under German tactician Jurgen Klopp. That was Liverpool's nineteenth overall title in England's top-tier football. 

Mohamed Salah, with 19 goals, was one of the star performers for the Reds in that season. 

6. Leicester City - 1 title

In the 2015-16 Premier League season, Leicester City won the title in the Premier League. They were considered to be an underdog before but they overcame the rough phase and won the Premier League title in the club's 132-year history.

Striker Jamie Vardy broke the record for consecutive games with a goal in the Premier League (11). Meanwhile, Riyad Mahrez became both the first African and Algerian player to be the recipient of the PFA Players' Player of the Year.

Also Read: Football Facts: Son-Father Football Pair Who Played For Same Club

5. Blackburn Rovers - 1 title

Blackburn Rovers was one of the 22 founding members of the Premier League era. They won the Premier League a long time ago in the 1994-95 season. Alan Shearer, with 34 goals for them, was the top scorer of the season. However, they were relegated in the 1998–99 season, becoming one of the 42 teams that were relegated as the Premier League champions.

Right after two seasons, they were promoted again in the 2000-01 season, but they were relegated yet once again, and that too in the same season. Unfortunately, they have not returned to the Premier League since then.

4. Arsenal FC - 3 titles

The London Giants Arsenal are one of the most famous football clubs on planet earth. They have won the title 3 times in the years 1997-98, 2001-02, and 2003-04.

They were the first club to create Premier League history by maintaining a 38-game unbeaten streak to win the title in 2003-04.

In domestic football, Arsenal has won 13 league titles, a record 14 FA Cups, two League Cups, and 17 FA Community Shields, but they haven't won a single European title yet.

Read Also: The Invincibles: 8 times a football team won their league undefeated

3. Chelsea FC - 5 titles

Another London club, Chelsea, is on this list, and there is no doubt why they are the best London Club in the Premier League. They won the title 5 times in the years 2004-05, 2005-06, 2009-10, 2014-15, and 2016-17.

The Blues won their first Premier League title under the 'Special One' Jose Mourinho, who completely changed the face of this London Club alongside Roman Abramovich, who was the Chelsea owner at that time.

They have also won the Champions League 2 times, alongside 2 Europa League titles. 

2. Manchester City - 8 titles

Manchester City, the Blue side of Manchester, are the reigning champions of England and Europe. This team have won the title 7 times in the years 2011-12, 2013-14, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24.

In the 2023-24 season, Manchester City became the first club to win the Premier League for a record fourth consecutive season. No side in English football history had ever won the top-flight more than three years back-to-back.

They are the second Club after Manchester United to complete the three-pit in the Premier League and win the European treble.

The club has won nine league titles, seven FA Cups, eight League Cups, six FA Community Shields, one UEFA Champions League, one European Cup Winners' Cup, one UEFA Super Cup, and one FIFA Club World Cup.

Read Also | Barcelona 2008/09 vs Man City 2022/23 - which Pep Guardiola treble team is better?

1. Manchester United - 13 titles

The team with the most Premier League Titles is Manchester United, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester. They are the most successful team in the English Premier League and also the most famous English Club on the Entire Planet Earth. United were also the first-ever team to win the Premier League.

They were the first English club to ever win the European treble, and that remained a record until Manchester City finally matched it in the 2022-23 season. Manchester United won the titles in 1992-93, 1993-94, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1998-99, 1999-2000, 2000-01, 2002-03, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2010-11, and 2012-13.

Read Also | 15 most successful football clubs in England

They have also won the most number of trophies in England, and that happened because of the Scottish manager Sir Alex Ferguson. He managed Manchester United from 1986 to 2013. Sir Alex is widely regarded as one of the greatest managers of all time and has won more trophies than any other manager in the history of football

Leeds United and Burnley have secured promotion to the Premier League for the next season after confirming the top places in the EFL Championship this season on Monday. 

WE ARE PREMIER LEAGUE!!! pic.twitter.com/iyGtdHe8nI

— Leeds United (@LUFC) April 21, 2025

Leeds, who last played in the Premier League in the 2022/23 season, will return to the top flight after beating Stoke City by 6-0. Joel Piroe scored four goals for Daniel Farke's Whites to have a chance to secure the automatic promotion. 

Read Also | 20 Biggest Premier League Wins in History

Piroe is now leading the race for the Championship Golden Boot with 19 goals, two ahead of his next competitor, Norwich City's Borja Sainz.

Burnley beat Sheffield United by 2-1

But Leeds needed Sheffield United to drop points at Turf Moor against Burnley later. Josh Brownhill's first-half brace was enough for Burnley to secure an easy 2-1 win over the Blades as both Clarets and the Whites confirmed their Premier League return. 

Burnley (W19 D11) are now just the second team in Championship history to go 30 consecutive games without losing after Reading (33) between August 2005 and February 2006.

Burnley, who played in the Premier League in the 2023/24 season, will return to the Premier League after a gap of one season. This means that this would be the third time Burnley head coach Scott Parker has secured promotion with a Championship side. Parker had taken Fulham to the Premier League in 2019/20 and AFC Bournemouth in 2021/22.

With Leeds' promotion, the Premier League will see the return of Daniel Farke, who coached Norwich City for 49 games in the top flight in two stints in 2018/19 and 2020/21.

Read Also | 15 most successful football clubs in England

Championship points table with two matches to go

Which other team can get the promotion?

Teams finishing third to sixth in the Championship points table will compete in the playoffs, before the mega final at Wembley Stadium. The winner of the final will finish in third place to earn a promotion to the Premier League alongside Leeds United and Burnley FC.

The Champions League was earlier called the European Cup, and it started in 1955, and the first winner was Real Madrid. For the next 5 years, Real Madrid did not let anyone get close to the trophy.

Since then, 23 teams have won the glory, with Manchester City being the most recent one. As we get close to another UEFA Champions League final, we take a look at the Champions League winners list since 1965.

The Champions League winners list since 1955/56 is:

1956 - Real Madrid
1957 - Real Madrid
1958 - Real Madrid
1959 - Real Madrid
1960 - Real Madrid
1961 - Benfica
1962 - Benfica
1963 - AC Milan
1964 - Inter Milan
1965 - Inter Milan
1966 - Real Madrid
1967 - Celtic
1968 - Manchester United
1969- AC Milan
1970- Feyenoord
1971 - Ajax
1972 - Ajax
1973 - Ajax
1974 - Bayern
1975 - Bayern
1976 - Bayern
1977 - Liverpool
1978 - Liverpool
1979 - Nottingham Forest
1980 - Nottingham Forest
1981 - Liverpool
1982 - Aston Villa
1983 - Hamburger SV|
1984 - Liverpool
1985 - Juventus FC
1986 - Steaua București
1987 - FC Porto
1988 - PSV
1989 - AC Milan 
1990 - AC Milan
1991 - Red Star Belgrade
1992 - Barcelona
1993 - Olympique de Marseille
1994 - AC Milan
1995 - Ajax
1996 - Juventus FC
1997 - Borussia Dortmund
1998 - Real Madrid
1999 - Manchester United
2000 - Real Madrid
2001 - Bayern 
2002 - Real Madrid
2003 - AC Milan
2004 - Porto
2005 - Liverpool
2006 - Barcelona
2007 - AC Milan
2008 - Manchester United
2009 - Barcelona
2010 - Inter Milan
2011 - Barcelona
2012 - Chelsea FC
2013 - Bayern Munich
2014 - Real Madrid
2015 - Barcelona
2016 - Real Madrid
2017 - Real Madrid
2018 - Real Madrid
2019 - Liverpool
2020 - Bayern Munich
2021 - Chelsea FC
2022 - Real Madrid
2023 - Manchester City
2024 - Real Madrid

Let's have a look at the teams with the most trophies since 1955/56: 

Real Madrid x 15
AC Milan x 7
Bayern x 6 
Liverpool FC x 6
FC Barcelona x 5
Ajax x 4
Inter x 3
Manchester United x 3
Juventus x 2 
Benfica x 2
Nottingham Forest  x 2
Porto x 2
Chelsea x 3
Celtic x 1
Hamburger SV x 1
Steaua București x 1 
Olympique de Marseille x 1
Borussia Dortmund x 1
Feyenoord x 1
Aston Villa x 1
PSV x 1
Red Star Belgrade x 1
Manchester City x 1

Trent Alexander-Arnold is reportedly set to leave Liverpool to join Real Madrid after his contract expires at the end of the season.

There have been a few massive Bosman moves over the years, and Alexander-Arnold would be the biggest ever to leave a Premier League club. Also, If he actually pens down to a move to Los Blancos, he would definitely replace an old teammate as the biggest in the Reds' Premier League record.

In this article, we explore the biggest free transfer exits for each of the 20 Premier League clubs.

Read Also | Trent to Real Madrid: Is it a done deal? Or is It just another rumor spreading?

Arsenal: Aaron Ramsey

Following eight long years at the North London club, Aaron Ramsey departed Arsenal on a free transfer in July 2019 to sign for Juventus.

Ramsey's departure was disappointing but no one could question him; the wages Juventus offered him were astronomical.

Aston Villa: Thomas Hitzlsperger

Thomas Hitzlsperger, renowned as 'Der Hammer', departed Aston Villa to change sides with VfB Stuttgart in July 2005 on a free transfer.

However, he returned to England five years later, signing with West Ham United in July 2010 and spending most of 2012/13 at Everton.

Bournemouth: Jefferson Lerma

Even though Lerma's exit was hardly convenient for Bournemouth in the build-up to returning to the top flight, it was a huge loss for them.

He was a key figure in the Cherries' midfield and has proved to be an inspirational free transfer recruit for Crystal Palace in July 2023.

Brentford: Christian Eriksen

The former Tottenham Hotspur midfield maestro was forced out of Serie A following his cardiac arrest at Euro 2020 and Brentford gave him a return to the Premier League, which was absolutely ideal in all respects.

Though he was desperate to retain him beyond the six-month deal he signed in January 2022, Brentford were unable to persuade Eriksen to put pen to paper, and the midfielder joined Manchester United.

Brighton: Jose Izquierdo

Jose Izquierdo departed Brighton to join Club Brugge in the Summer of 2021 on a free transfer.

The Colombian winger's stay in Belgium, however, was brief, as he retired in 2022 soon after being released by Brugge.

Chelsea: Antonio Rudiger

Thiago Silva, Andreas Christensen, Willian, Joe Cole, Michael Ballack, N'Golo Kante, Hernan Crespo, Nicolas Anelka, Andriy Shevchenko… Chelsea have a long list in this context to choose from.

Missing out on a top Antonio Rudiger would have hurt, though. The German centre-back was at Stamford Bridge for five years before he was roped in by Real Madrid in the Summer of 2022.

Crystal Palace: Wilfried Zaha

Zaha is undoubtedly Palace's all-time best player. He departed when his deal ran out in the summer of 2023, signing for Turkish giants Galatasaray in a bold switch for Champions League action.

After years of transfer rumors that had him joining Arsenal, Zaha failed to sparkle in Turkey and was sent out on loan to French club Lyon after one season. That did not quite work out either, and he is now playing for Charlotte FC in the MLS.

Everton: Wayne Rooney

Not the first time, as that was for a transfer fee, but the second time, Wayne Rooney departed Everton is likely their biggest Bosman loss of the Premier League era.

Rooney netted a staggering ten goals in 30 league games in 2017/18. His departure from Goodison Park was not only felt, but his arrival in America to play for D.C. United was shocking as well.

Fulham: Tosin Adarabioyo

Fulham messed up by allowing Moussa Dembele to move to Celtic, but that is a regret rather than a huge transfer. Tosin Adarabioyo departed the Cottagers for London rivals Chelsea in the summer of last year, during his peak years.

Ipswich: Sylvain Legwinski

Sylvain Legwinski, a former French midfielder, left Ipswich Town following the 2007/08 season and did not join a club until April of the following year before having a couple of months at St. Neots Town. 

Leicester City: Youri Tielemans

Caglar Soyuncu was a tragic loss, but nothing is close to Tielemans' departure at the end of the 2022/23 season.

The Belgian departed a club legend, having left with his FA Cup final goal in 2021. He was reportedly linked to Arsenal for ages before ending up with Aston Villa. Having had a struggling first year with Unai Emery, Tielemans is once again one of the top midfielders in the Premier League.

Liverpool: Georginio Wijnaldum

Liverpool lost Wijnaldum to Paris Saint-Germain in a 2021 summer transfer window that also saw the signings of Lionel Messi, Gianluigi Donnarumma, and Sergio Ramos. It is little wonder that Wijnaldum's signing was overshadowed.

Manchester City: Ilkay Gundogan

Alongside Erling Haaland and KDB, Gundogan was likely City's most crucial player in their Treble-winning 2022/23 season, with his final task as City captain being to hold aloft the Champions League trophy.

But after a year at his dream destination, Barcelona, the German midfielder renewed his connection to City, signing for the club in 2024.

Manchester United: Paul Pogba

Pogba's experience at Manchester United was marred by debate. On His Day, he was a world beater. For the Red Devils' misfortune, he was quite literally only ever On His Day for France.

The best part of it all is that Man United let Pogba join Juventus for nothing in 2012, re-signed him for a world-record £89 million four years later, and then let him join Juventus for another free transfer in 2022.

Newcastle United: Jonas Gutierrez

Gutierrez's departure in 2015 was typical of what Newcastle were like under Mike Ashley's ownership.

The Argentine preserved the Magpies in the Premier League after returning to the squad after suffering from cancer and wound up being let go over the telephone by John Carver.

Nottingham Forest: Stuart Pearce

Following being at the club for 12 years, Pearce left on a Bosman move in 1997.

It was a miserable last season for Pearce, who took caretaker player-manager duties after Frank Clark's resignation. The job eventually shared with Dave Bassett, Forest slipped and a 35-year-old Pearce desired to be released, whereupon he became Newcastle United. 

Southampton: Stuart Armstrong

Stuart Armstrong departed from Southampton on a free transfer in September 2024 and signed for the Vancouver Whitecaps.

His contract at Southampton had run out at an earlier stage that summer. He was then signed as a Designated Player by the Whitecaps.

Tottenham Hotspur: Sol Campbell

The greatest free transfer in Premier League history. The 'Big Sol' called an unexpected press conference, revealing his incredible transfer from Spurs to Arsenal in 2001, leaving everyone in sheer shock.

Campbell had already informed fans that he was remaining but rejected the opportunity to become the Spurs' best-paid player to achieve his ambition of playing in the Champions League. There was nothing to suggest Arsenal were even in the running for his signature, but stunned reporters watched the sensational and iconic unveiling.

Campbell went on to become an Arsenal legend and an integral part of the Arsenal Invicibles.

West Ham: Ben Johnson

West Ham lost their academy gem, defender Ben Johnson, to Ipswich Town on a free transfer in July 2024.

Wolves: Adama Traore

The Adama's future was the subject for ages' worth of talk. Spurs were in the running for a while, and most expected a switch to a big club when his Wolves deal ran out in 2023. Unfortunately, he signed for Fulham.

Wolves might have received a reasonable price for the Spanish midfielder but were unfortunate to lose him on a free transfer.

Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has announced his decision to leave the club at the end of the 2024-25 season. The Belgian midfield maestro joined the Blue side of Manchester in 2015 and went on to mark a glittering 10-year career with the club, winning numerous personal and team accolades.

Fewest games needed to reach 100 Premier League assists:

◉ 237 - Kevin De Bruyne
◎ 293 - Cesc Fàbregas
◎ 367 - Ryan Giggs
◎ 445 - Wayne Rooney
◎ 559 - Frank Lampard

KDBrilliant. ™️ pic.twitter.com/lV9CZBOgWG

— Squawka (@Squawka) April 4, 2025

The 33-year-old midfielder has accumulated a total of 118 assists in his Premier League career across two spells with Manchester City and Chelsea, having tallied 280 appearances.

However, Kevin De Bruyne is the fastest player to register 100 assists in the Premier League, having played the fewest games among the footballers who have reached this milestone.

Here are the footballers who needed the fewest games to reach 100 Premier League assists.

Fewest games to reach 100 Premier League assists

237 - Kevin De Bruyne*

Kevin de Bruyne reached the 100-assist milestone in the Premier League in just 237 games, leaving behind some legendary figures who made it to this mark.

City's legendary midfielder registered his 100th assist in the competition on 8 April 2023 in Man City's 4-1 away win against Southampton. He also became the fifth player to bag a hundred assists in Premier League history.

Kevin De Bruyne reaches 100 assists in the Premier League.

No player has done it in fewer games (237) 🎁 pic.twitter.com/zLR9vuEmAU

— B/R Football (@brfootball) April 8, 2023

De Bruyne has a total of 118 assists in his Premier League career, spanning 280 games for Chelsea and Manchester City, which is also the second-most PL assists of all time.

Read Also | Most Premier League Assists in a Season

293 - Cesc Fabregas

Cesc Fabregas, the Spanish midfield wizard, bagged a total of 111 assists across his 350 appearances for Arsenal and Chelsea in the Premier League.

Fabregas, now retired, earned his 100th Premier League assist on 31 December 2016, in his 293rd appearance in Chelsea's 4–2 home victory over Stoke City.

Febregas is also the third player on the list who has the most assists in Premier League history, while 70 of these came at Arsenal, with the other 41 coming in a Chelsea shirt.

367 - Ryan Giggs

Ryan Giggs, the legendary Manchester United winger, tops the list for the most assists in Premier League history with a staggering 162 assists in 632 appearances, which is also the third-most PL appearances in history.

The Welsh legend took 367 games to reach the 100-assist milestone, having spent almost 25 years at Old Trafford before retiring in 2014.

Giggs is also the most decorated footballer in English football history, winning a record 34 trophies with Manchester United.

445 - Wayne Rooney

Wayne Rooney is another Manchester United legend who made it to this list, having bagged a total of 103 assists in the Premier League in 491 appearances across Manchester United and Everton.

The English football legend achieved his 100th Premier League assist on November 6, 2016, during Man United's 3-1 away victory against Swansea City, his 445th PL appearance. He had two assists in the match, both for Zlatan Ibrahimović, with the first of these being his milestone 100th assist in the league.

Swansea 1-3 Manchester United. Goals from Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic seals a crucial win for the reds. #MUFC

Highlights of the game! pic.twitter.com/AFpPUiIraO

— David. (@Rooney_esque) November 6, 2016

Interestingly, that first assist for Ibrahimović also marked the 25,000th goal scored in Premier League history.

559 - Frank Lampard

Frank Lampard, the legendary midfielder for Chelsea, reached the 100-assist landmark in 559 appearances in the Premier League. The milestone assist came in Chelsea's memorable 7-1 victory at home against Aston Villa on March 27, 2010.

ON THIS DAY in 2010, Frank Lampard hit four goals in Chelsea 7-1 Aston Villa http://t.co/L0yofsU2cq pic.twitter.com/vY3mpFQe3q

— Premier League (@premierleague) March 27, 2014

Lampard had a total of 102 assists in PL in a total of 609 appearances, having spent different spells across Chelsea, Manchester City, and West Ham United.

Remarkably, he is the only midfielder to have scored over 150 goals and provided over 100 assists in Premier League history.

(*the only active player on this list. The stats are accurate as of 5 April 2025)