Porto coach Andre Villas-Boas is emerging as a favourite of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.
The People says Villas-Boas, the man dubbed the new Jose Mourinho, is the shock name on Chelsea's shortlist to replace Carlo Ancelotti.
Villas-Boas is just 33 and, like Mourinho, didn't play the game professionally. But he is considered one of the hottest coaching talents in Europe after clinching the Portuguese title earlier this month, with five games to spare.
Villas-Boas hates his 'new Mourinho' tag but, given his background, the comparisons are inevitable. Fluent in English, he was handed his break when Sir Bobby Robson hired him as a scout at Porto while still a teenager, and his tactical awareness and scouting reports impressed all at the club.
In 2009, Villas-Boas agreed to become coach of Portuguese side Academica, who were bottom of the league.
Not only did he keep them up, he also guided them to the semi-finals of the Portuguese League Cup. It was then that Porto came calling and now Chelsea are readying themselves to knock on his door if Hiddink turns them down.
