Soccer/News: Chelsea have reached an agreement with Porto which effectively will see the European champions act as their feeder club for the next five years as part of the deal that brings Jose Mourinho to Stamford Bridge as manager.
Mourinho will be unveiled as Claudio Ranieri's successor at 10 a.m. this morning after being released from his contract by Porto last night and will have first option on the local talent developed over the specified period by his former club.
Chelsea will pour money into Porto's academy to help them spot and coach players and, in return, will get preferential treatment if they want to bring Portuguese youngsters to London.
The deal was announced by Porto as they confirmed that they had agreed compensation with Chelsea for Mourinho, who had two years left on his contract. They did not reveal the compensation figure but it is believed to be well over £1 million.
"Porto agree with Chelsea Football Club Ltd the terms for the annulment of the contract of employment of head coach, Jose Mourinho," a statement said.
"As part of the agreement . . . Porto announce the establishment of a partnership with Chelsea for five years, with exclusivity in the Portuguese market, with respect to the detection, training and promotion of young talent."
Mourinho spent yesterday afternoon at Stamford Bridge finalising a four-year contract worth about £4 million a season before bonuses. He had arrived with his family at Heathrow, to be met by the Chelsea chief executive, Peter Kenyon.
Chelsea's owner Roman Abramovich made a rare public comment when he said of the prospect of Mourinho succeeding Ranieri: "He's the only one left (in contention)."
Ranieri has not yet, however, reached agreement with Chelsea on a pay-off after being sacked on Monday.
Mourinho revealed earlier this season that the secret of Porto's success was "two years' hard work with the same players and the same coaching staff".
He will crave such stability at Chelsea and will attempt to smooth the transition to London by surrounding himself with some of those who made his last season in Portugal so stunning.
He has asked to bring with him a number of his Porto coaching staff, men whose careers are closely tied to his own. The first, and most important, is his assistant Baltemar Brito.
The 53-year-old Brazilian has known Mourinho since the Portuguese was in his teens. Having left his homeland to ply his footballing trade in Europe, Brito played under Mourinho's father Felix at the small club Rio Ave.
Having been sacked by Benfica in October 2000, Mourinho headed for the more modest side Uniao Leiria and brought Brito in as his trusted right-hand man.
Porto's 28-year-old fitness trainer Rui Faria is also wanted at Chelsea by Mourinho. Born in the central Portuguese town of Barcelos, Faria was, like Mourinho, a graduate in physical education who had never played football of any distinction.
His desire to be involved in top-class football took him to a seminar day at Barcelona's Nou Camp, where he met Mourinho, who was working at the time as Louis van Gaal's assistant.
Mourinho was impressed by the young man and when he took the job at Leiria in 2001 he appointed Faria fitness coach and video analyst.
Mourinho has a record for adopting a confrontational attitude towards his bosses - he once refused to allow the Leiria chairman attend a training session - and should he take a similar approach with his new club's owner he will be in trouble.
Roman Abramovich would not suffer such treatment and he is expected to be more interventionist than any of Mourinho's previous presidents.
Mourinho has identified three players he would like to bring with him to Stamford Bridge - the playmaker Deco, the tough-tackling midfielder Costinha and the right-back Paulo Ferreira.
The early indications, however, are that the Chelsea hierarchy, so keen to keep a tight rein on transfer activity, will yield only to the request for Ferreira.
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