Potter to be tasked with mission of returning Swans to top flight

Graham Potter is set to become Swansea’s sixth manager in four years after a compensation package was finalised with Swedish club Ostersund.

Englishman Potter

(right) has been in charge of Ostersund since December 2010, but the 43-year-old will complete a move to Wales early next week.

“Swansea City can confirm a compensation package has been finalised with Ostersund for the services of Graham Potter,” said a statement.

Swansea’s seven-season stay in the Premier League came to an end last month and they decided not to take up the option of extending Carlos Carvalhal’s short-term contract.

Potter led Ostersund them from the fourth to the top tier, and they won the Swedish Cup in 2017.

He oversaw a 2-1 victory at Arsenal in the last 32 of the Europa League but they bowed out 4-2 on aggregate. SKIPPER Jonny Evans admitted the sweltering heat was Northern Ireland’s toughest opponent on their two-match tour of Central America and it badly affected their ability to play their natural game.

Northern Ireland drew 0-0 in Panama last Tuesday and then lost 3-0 to Costa Rica at the Estadio Nacional in San Jose.

On both occasions the mercury was hitting over 30 degrees.

The game in Panama City was played at 8pm, but there was no drop in temperature and the humidity was so high that the players struggled with their breathing and recovery, while in San Jose, the match kicked off at 11am with the sun glaring down throughout.

Some staff around the pitch had to be treated for sunstroke.

“Apart from the fact we were missing so many of our key players, it’s very, very difficult to play in these conditions,” stressed Evans, who is expected to leave relegated West Brom this summer and join a Premier League club due to his £3m release clause.

“When you don’t have the ball and they are passing the ball across the pitch, they are running side to side, it’s very difficult because your legs are tired from the actions of trying to get the ball back. When you do get the ball back, it’s very difficult to find passes or burst forward. We found that very difficult.”

Northern Ireland conceded two goals from corner kicks against Costa Rica — much to the ire of Evans, who was playing in midfield on Sunday but was forced to drop deep to help his defence out with vital headed clearances.

The men in green have always been strong with set-plays and usually practice them on the morning of a game, but due to the 11am kick-off that wasn’t possible.

Evans said: “They are going to the World Cup so they’ve probably been practicing their set-pieces — it’s a big part of the game. For us, it was a quick turnaround