Chelsea want Ajax coach as director of football-reports

London, Oct 4: Chelsea are lining up Ajax coach Henk ten Cate to become their director of football, a report in Dutch football magazine Voetbal International says.

British newspapers carried details of the report on Thursday saying the Premier League club was understood to have held talks with the 52-year-old Dutchman and, while he has yet to agree a contract, an official announcement is expected next week.

The Dutch magazine says on its Web site (www.vi.nl) that Chelsea's technical director Frank Arnesen has held talks with Ten Cate about a possible move to the west London club.

Chelsea, who beat Valencia 2-1 in the Champions League at the Mestalla yesterday, earlier issued a statement regarding the coaching structure they want under new manager Avram Grant.

''Avram Grant, as first-team coach, has made it publicly clear several times that he intends to strengthen his backroom team in addition to his assistant coach Steve Clarke.

''One of the scenarios Avram is considering is a team containing a British assistant coach in Steve and a foreign assistant coach, a system the first team are already familiar with,'' said the statement reported in The Guardian.

Chelsea want to refresh their coaching structure following the departure of Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho last month.

Ten Cate, who was assistant coach to Frank Rijkaard at Barcelona when they won the Champions League, became Ajax coach in May 2006 on a two-year contract through to July 2008.

Reuters>