As details begin to trickle in about Graham Potter’s dismissal, it’s become clear that there were several factors besides poor results that doomed the English manager’s brief spell at Stamford Bridge.

While the 47-year-old was seemingly liked by the team’s owners, frustrations in the dressing room snowballed to a point where players resorted to name-calling before the club decided to move on from Potter after less than seven months, according to Simon Johnson, David Ornstein and others from The Athletic.

Some Chelsea players called Potter “Harry” and “Hogwarts” in reference to the main character from the Harry Potter series of novels and movies. While such petty insults likely didn’t weigh into Chelsea’s decision to fire him, it’s a clear sign that Potter failed to command the same respect as his predecessor, Thomas Tuchel.

Additionally, it’s understood that there wasn’t a mutiny before Potter was sacked, but some core players were becoming increasingly indifferent by the former Brighton & Hove Albion manager’s echoed attempts to encourage the squad.

There was also a lack of trust among a select group of players who believed that he was acting as a “lackey” on behalf of the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital ownership group. Some believed that Potter was heavily influenced by Boehly and co-owner Behdad Eghbali in relation to transfer and lineup decisions, The Athletic adds.

The belief that he was a “yes man” for club owners was widely considered a rumor that generated in the dressing room, as The Athletic’s sources close to Potter have rejected that notion.

In terms of transfer recruitments, it’s been reported that Potter wasn’t privy to a number of the lucrative deals that Chelsea executed during the January window, according to The Athletic.

There’s been a massive influx of talent since Chelsea changed owners last summer. The changes continued in January with several high-profile deals being completed, leading to speculation over Potter’s involvement – or lack of – in negotiations and whether he supported breaking up a team that was less than two years removed from winning the Champions League.

The squad became so bloated that some players were forced to get dressed in the hallways of the club’s training ground, while some sessions featured a 9 vs. 9 match on top of the standard 11 vs. 11 game.

Another damaging indictment on Potter’s reign was his apparent eagerness to discover what Chelsea players thought about him as their coach.

The Athletic reports that one source indicated Potter was heard asking a member of the team, “What do the players think of me?” It was another sign that suggested to the squad that Potter was out of his depth.

Potter, who arrived at Stamford Bridge in September after Tuchel was fired, only won seven of the 22 Premier League matches he was in charge for. Saturday’s defeat to Aston Villa – Potter’s last in charge – saw the Blues slip down to 11th place in the table with 10 games to go.

Chelsea have reached an agreement in principle to rehire Frank Lampard on a short-term basis until a permanent manager is found, according to David Ornstein of The Athletic.

Lampard, who’s been out of work since he was fired by Everton in January, will return to Stamford Bridge to become the club’s interim manager until the end of the season.

Ashley Cole, Joe Edwards, and Chris Jones, who all worked with Lampard during his last two managerial spells, will again be part of his staff.

Lampard has a chance to be on the touchline for Chelsea’s next Premier League game this weekend at Wolverhampton, the team’s second match since Graham Potter was fired.

The 44-year-old – Chelsea’s all-time leading scorer – previously coached the Blues for 18 months before he met the same fate as Potter and was sacked for poor results in January 2021. He was replaced by Thomas Tuchel, who preceded Potter as manager.

Meanwhile, Chelsea will begin the process of finding Potter’s permanent replacement by interviewing former Barcelona and Spain coach Luis Enrique, according to The Guardian’s Jacob Steinberg.

Enrique joins ex-Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann on Chelsea’s list of preferred candidates.

Enrique is expected to fly to London for further discussions after making a positive impression during initial talks with Chelsea officials. The 52-year-old, who won the Champions League in 2015 with Barcelona, has been unemployed since leaving Spain after a disappointing campaign at the 2022 World Cup.

Nagelsmann is also available after he was fired by Bayern Munich last month. The 35-year-old is understood to be a favorite of Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali, but Nagelsmann reportedly wants to wait until the summer before returning to coaching.

Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino, Eintracht Frankfurt’s Oliver Glasner, and Sporting CP’s Ruben Amorim have also been linked with the vacancy at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea are 11th in the Premier League table and will take on Real Madrid in the Champions League quarterfinals later this month.

Lionel Messi has seemingly had a change of heart.

The Argentine superstar is now unlikely to extend his contract with Paris Saint-Germain, sources told Julien Laurens of ESPN.

Laurens reported in December that Messi, whose current deal expires this summer, had agreed “in principle” to remain with the French club for at least one more season. It was noted at the time, however, that negotiations were yet to formally take place between the parties.

PSG want Messi to take a 25% pay cut from his existing salary, according to Laurens. The World Cup winner reportedly makes €40 million gross per year. Messi and his camp are not prepared to meet that request, Laurens adds, while the player himself is disillusioned after being jeered by some PSG fans at the Parc des Princes prior to Sunday’s loss against Lyon.

Negotiations between the two sides, once viewed as a formality prior to Messi’s triumphant World Cup campaign with Argentina, are now at a standstill.

“The dynamics have completely changed with PSG less pushing to renew (his contract),” a source close to the club told AFP. “The fans have changed things completely.”

Messi’s father and agent, Jorge, is scheduled to meet with PSG officials later this month to see if a compromise can be reached. Until then, all options appear to be on the table for the decorated 35-year-old. Barcelona vice president Rafa Yuste said last month the Catalan club has been in contact with Messi’s representatives about a potential return to the Camp Nou. Financial restrictions could scupper that romantic reunion, though. Amid rumored interest from Inter Miami, Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber admitted North America’s top league is willing to “think outside the box” and be flexible in order to facilitate a deal for the iconic forward.

Rumblings of interest from Saudi Arabia, where Cristiano Ronaldo plays for Al Nassr, also persist. Riyadh-based club Al Hilal, local rivals of Al Nassr, have tabled an offer for Messi that includes a salary package worth over €400 million per year, according to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano. Messi’s priority at this time is to remain in Europe, Romano adds.

Messi, who has been uncharacteristically subdued on the pitch in recent weeks, still leads Ligue 1 this season with 26 goal involvements, scoring 13 times himself and providing the same number of assists.