Graham Potter has told Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang he has ‘nothing to prove’ following Thomas Tuchel’s sacking and says he will not judge Christian Pulisic on his previous Chelsea form.
Potter will take charge of his first Premier League game as Chelsea boss on Saturday when the Blues travel across London to face Crystal Palace.
Former Brighton boss Potter replaced Tuchel in the Stamford Bridge hot-seat at the start of September but Chelsea have only played one game since then due to the international break and postponements following the Queen’s death.
Potter insists he is enjoying working with former Arsenal captain Aubameyang, who was widely seen as a Tuchel signing given their history at Borussia Dortmund.
Aubameyang completed a deadline-day move from Barcelona over the summer and said he had ‘unfinished business’ in the Premier League following his turbulent spell at Arsenal.
‘I’m looking forward to working with him, I’ve enjoyed working with him in the brief time we’ve been together,’ Potter said of Aubameyang.
‘I can see he’s a good guy, focused, wants to do well, wants to play, wants to score. So I’m really enjoying it.
‘He’s got nothing to prove to me or anything negative in that regard. His career is his career, I have huge respect for that.
‘My job now is to help him enjoy his football and be a part of what we’re trying to do here. He’s acted as a top professional, a top person, so I’m really looking forward to working with him.’
Potter has also sent a message to frustrated Chelsea winger Pulisic, who has started just one of the club’s six Premier League games so far this season.
Pulisic slipped down the pecking order under Tuchel and was strongly linked with a move away from west London over the summer.
Potter added: ‘I think players go through periods of their careers where they have to suffer a little bit for whatever reason and don’t get their game-time that they would like and it’s part of the job, it’s part of the sign up to being a Premier League player.
‘It’s not straightforward to be a regular in a top-four team but I can only comment on him in terms of how he’s been with me. Really positive, he’s an intelligent guy, articulate, knows how to express himself.
‘My conversation with him has been good and positive, I’m not going to judge anybody on what has happened in the past, I’m going to make my own mind up. Football hopefully decides.’
MORE : Robert Huth makes Premier League top-four prediction and snubs Chelsea
MORE : Graham Potter confirms four Chelsea stars will miss Crystal Palace clash
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Chelsea news, exclusives and analysis
Share this with