Chelsea looks to Porto's Villas Boas
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Shanghai Daily, June 21, 2011
Porto has not received any proposals to buy out coach Andre Villas Boas's release clause, the Portuguese champion said yesterday, denying media reports of an offer by English Premier League club Chelsea.
"Andre Villas Boas has a release clause (in his contract)," Porto said in a statement. "Until now we have not received any communication that this clause will be exercised, nor the coach's agreement for that purpose."
Three Portuguese daily newspapers reported earlier yesterday, without citing sources, that Chelsea was in talks to pay Porto for the 33-year-old coach's 15-million euro (US$21.34 million) release clause.
State news agency Lusa cited a source as saying the coach had already informed the club of his intention to move to the English side, which said it will make an announcement in the next few days,
Chelsea sacked manager Carlo Ancelotti last month after a season in which it failed to win a trophy but just a year after the Italian led the Blues to the league and cup double.
Villas Boas, who previously worked at Chelsea as assistant to his mentor and Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho, won the Portuguese league title, the Europa League, and the Portuguese Cup in his first season at Porto.
Serie A team Inter Milan had been interested in signing him, but its sporting director Marco Branca said on Sunday after a reported trip to Porto that the costly release clause had ruled out a possible move.
Villas Boas, who has a contract through 2013, last month said his future was tied to Porto and that he was unaware of any formal interest from other clubs despite intense speculation for several weeks.
Porto President Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa has urged the coach to stay at the club and remains convinced that Villas Boas will want to emulate Mourinho in impressing in the Champions League before moving to a more lucrative league.
Turkey manager Guus Hiddink was also linked with a return to the Blues, where he won the FA Cup as a caretaker manager in 2009.
Move to Inter
Meanwhile, England coach Fabio Capello could be about to make a move to Inter.
With current Inter coach Leonardo negotiating for an executive position with Paris Saint-Germain, the Gazzetta dello Sport reported yesterday that Capello is now the most logical choice for club president Massimo Moratti.
"I want a coach I can trust," Moratti said. "We want someone with experience and charisma."
However, Moratti was hesitant to dwell on Capello, saying only, "Eh, Capello. ... I don't want to offend anyone, Italians or foreigners."
Capello's contract with England expires after next year's European Championship, but Moratti said he wants to appoint a new coach by the end of this week.
Capello's career as a club coach before joining England was marked by success after success with high-profile clubs AC Milan, Real, AS Roma and Juventus.
England general manager Franco Baldini, Capello's right-hand man, has already reportedly agreed to an executive position with Roma.
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