Stoke City are expected to have Graham Potter as the highly-ambitious top target on their list of potential new managers.

Potter, the former Stoke midfielder, has forged a reputation as a leading coach thanks to his work at Ostersunds in Sweden, then one season at Swansea City and three at Brighton and Hove Albion before an all-too brief spell with Chelsea.

He has not been short of offers since leaving Stamford Bridge in April and reports claim he has turned down Lyon, Sweden and Crystal Palace while he has also been linked with vacancies at Leicester City and Rangers. In the last few days alone he has been suggested as a potential candidate if jobs came up at either Manchester United or Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.

Now aged 48, he would be a clear winner with supporters but the obvious big question is whether it would be a realistic pursuit. He had wanted this position before but that was back in early 2018 when Stoke were in the top flight and he was still managing in Sweden – Stoke are now sitting 20th in the Championship.

In Stoke’s corner, chairman John Coates can offer backing pretty much unlike any other non-parachute payment club in the division, however, both in terms of financial investment, infrastructure and time. That includes the potential support needed to stay in the Premier League if promotion was won, which is the board’s long-term aim.

It was only on Saturday that Neil said: “John has been nothing but supportive to me since I’ve been here. He’s one of the best owners in the game, hence the reason I came.”