Former Chelsea manager Graham Potter rejects job offer amid Mauricio Pochettino pressure

Former Chelsea manager Graham Potter has reportedly turned down a lucrative opportunity to return to management with Ajax.

The 48-year-old has been on the sidelines since his departure from Stamford Bridge last April, but rumours of a comeback have been swirling, with Manchester United among those said to be interested. Sky Sports reports that Ajax had identified Potter as their top choice to take over from interim head coach John van 't Schip this summer.

However, the ex-Brighton manager declined the offer. It is believed that Potter is keen on a return to English football and is holding out for a Premier League opportunity before considering overseas offers.

Ajax are currently enduring a dismal season. They sit sixth in the Eredivisie, having secured just 12 victories from their 29 league games, and are on track for their worst finish since 1965.

Their recent 6-0 defeat to Feyenoord marked one of the club's most significant losses ever, reports the Daily Star. The Dutch heavyweights parted ways with manager Maurice Steijn in October after a string of four losses in five games, appointing Van 't Schip as caretaker while they sought a permanent successor.

Potter's torrid seven-month tenure at Stamford Bridge doesn't seem quite as disastrous considering the struggles of his successor, the under pressure Mauricio Pochettino. With a record of 12 wins and 11 losses from his 31 games at the helm, the Blues ended last season in an underwhelming 12th place in the Premier League - their lowest position since 1994.

This marked the first time Potter fell short of expectations as a manager, following successful stints at Brighton, Swansea and Ostersund in Sweden. Despite the blow to his reputation, the Solihull-born coach is far from being written off.