Brighton have held talks with Graham Potter about a potential return to the club but are determined not to rush into an appointment after missing out on Ipswich’s Kieran McKenna. Potter, who left Brighton to join Chelsea in September 2022, is a surprise contender to replace Roberto De Zerbi after the Italian’s departure by mutual consent. Tony Bloom, the Brighton owner, had made McKenna his No 1 target before the Northern Irishman committed his future to Ipswich by signing a new four-year contract despite interest also from Chelsea and Manchester United. Bloom and Brighton’s technical director, David Weir, are leading the recruitment process and are understood to have sounded out Potter’s interest despite his acrimonious departure after leading Brighton to ninth place in 2022. The 49-year-old, who has been out of work since being sacked by Chelsea after 31 games, is also believed to be on United’s shortlist should they sack Erik ten Hag having turned down an opportunity to take over at Ajax. Bloom and Weir will take their time to assess other candidates, who are believed to include the former Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper and Malmö’s Henrik Rydström. Brighton’s midfielder Yasin Ayari said to Aftonbladet newspaper in Sweden of the links to his compatriot Rydström: “Honestly? Is it just a rumour? How sick! He is a great coach who likes to play good football. The rumour can’t be completely stupid, because Brighton look at data and stats. He has very good statistics in Allsvenskan [Sweden’s top division].” Potter remains unpopular among some Brighton supporters over comments about the club after his departure for Chelsea, including for saying: “If I wanted a nice easy life, I could have quite easily stayed working at Brighton.” Eleven players or staff members have left Brighton for Chelsea in the past two years, the head of recruitment Sam Jewell being the most recent in February. Moisés Caicedo and Marc Cucurella were booed throughout Brighton’s loss to Chelsea last month in De Zerbi’s penultimate game. Brighton’s supporters sang “We want you to stay” at the end of De Zerbi’s last match, against Manchester United, but the Italian had agreed to depart owing to what have been described as irreconcilable differences with Bloom. He has been linked with United and a return to Serie A.