Chelsea set for talks to appoint Porto boss Andre Villas-Boas as new manager

Andrè Villas Boas

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Chelsea are set to move for manager Andre Villas-Boas, according to reports, but Porto have denied that the Premier League side have agreed to pay the £13.2 million needed to release the Europa League winner from his contract.

The BBC and The Times are reporting that Jose Mourinho’s former assistant – whose side went unbeaten as they won the league last season – is set to be appointed by Roman Abramovich.

Reports in Portugal suggested Villas-Boas was already on his way to London to finalise terms on a deal to replace Carlo Ancelotti at Stamford Bridge.

But in a statement released to the Portuguese stock exchange, Porto denied receiving any such approach from the west Londoners.

“Futebol Clube do Porto, SAD, at the request of CMVM, come to inform the market that coach Andre Villas-Boas, just like several players in the squad, has a release clause,” the statement read.

“Up to this date, this society has not yet received any information that this clause would be triggered.”

Neither club has denied that discussions are ongoing and it is believed that the Blues have made the 33-year-old their top target.

The Times report that Chelsea have discussed a move for the highly rated coach with Porto, while the Portuguese club’s president, Pinta da Costa, has admitted that he will be unable to prevent Villas-Boas from moving to England if his release fee is met.

He said: “Villas-Boas has a contract and a clause of €15 million £13.2m. If someone deposits €15 million into our account and he wants to go, we can not do anything because it is something that is contractually specified.”

Guus Hiddink, who won the FA Cup with Chelsea as interim boss in 2009, was believed to be heading the queue to replace Ancelotti and it is thought that the Dutchman could still return to Stamford Bridge in a directorial capacity.