Chelsea set their sights on Porto boss

THE PORTO president Pinto da Costa is confident the Portuguese champions will retain the services of their much coveted young manager, Andre Villas Boas, despite Chelsea having earmarked the 33-year-old as a potential successor for Carlo Ancelotti.

Villas Boas has enjoyed a staggering first season with Porto having claimed the league title with five rounds of the campaign remaining – they have won 26 of their 29 league matches – and will compete in the Europa League final against Braga at the Aviva Stadium next week.

Chelsea, who are expected to remove Ancelotti after only two years, have monitored their former scout’s progress with the Portuguese featuring on their list of potential replacements, possibly to work under Guus Hiddink.

The Porto manager is understood to feel he would benefit from Champions League football next season before furthering his experience abroad, acknowledging his career is still at a fledgling stage. The club would resist his departure, with Da Costa, speaking at a dinner to commemorate Porto winning their 25th Portuguese championship on Monday, stressing their desire to retain him.

“Out of the thousands of times that he has been asked if he would be leaving for another club, he has always responded that he is in his dream position already,” said Da Costa, who turned to Villas Boas directly and added: “We want to see you happy in this job for many years, and we will provide you with the conditions so that this season is the first of many with the success that we all want.”

Chelsea remain confident it can still persuade Hiddink, a caretaker manager at Stamford Bridge in 2009, to return despite the fact the 64-year-old is under contract with the Turkish Football Federation. His position could be reviewed should the Turks lose their Euro 2012 qualifier in Belgium on June 3rd.

It remains to be seen whether Hiddink would be willing to return to club management. A role as technical director at Chelsea would possibly be more attractive, with the London club then likely to pursue a younger manager – Villas Boas or Marco van Basten, thought to be Hiddink’s recommendation, would be considered – to work under the Dutchman.

There has been speculation linking Gianfranco Zola with a coaching role in any new regime.

There are certain to be changes in the squad at Stamford Bridge, with a playmaker the priority if Chelsea wish to get the best out of Fernando Torres. Kaka, who has been linked with the Blues for years, would fit the bill and his mother has fuelled speculation about the Brazil star moving to London on her Twitter account. She wrote: “We are going to be in London next season . . . We will be there from August – I can tell you.”

Madrid yesterday confirmed the €11.3 million signing of Borussia Dortmund midfielder Nuri Sahin, adding weight to rumours Kaka’s days in Spain are numbered.

Guardian Service