Porto's Villas-Boas in Chelsea talks

Porto coach Andre Villas-Boas is set to succeed Carlo Ancelotti as coach of English Premier League side Chelsea, according to a report from Portuguese news agency Lusa on Monday. Citing sources close to the talks, Lusa claims the London club have agreed to pay the 15-million-euro ($21.35m) departure clause in Villas-Boas's contract. A former assistant to Jose Mourinho at Chelsea, 33-year-old Villas-Boas led Porto to three titles in his first season at the club: the Portuguese league title, the Portuguese Cup and the Europa League. In doing so, he became the youngest coach to win a European trophy. The Blues are seeking to replace Ancelotti, who was sacked at the end of last season after failing to land any silverware, just 12 months after guiding the west London club to an historic double of league and FA Cup titles. Porto, however, insisted that no offer had been made to activate the release clause. "So far this club has not received any communication that this clause has been exercised, nor of the agreement of the coach that is desired," a Porto statement read. But Porto president Pinto da Costa admitted the club could not prevent their manager from leaving if the required financial conditions were met. "Villas-Boas has a contract and a clause of 15 million euros," he said. "If someone deposits 15 million euros into our account and he wants to go, we can not do anything because it is something that is contractually specified." Although Chelsea made no official comment, reports suggest a £4.4m-a-year ($7.1m) salary is on the table for Villas-Boas, who could bring Porto's Colombian star striker Radamel Falcao to Stamford Bridge with him. Turkey coach Guus Hiddink has also been linked with a return to Chelsea, where he won the FA Cup as a caretaker manager in 2009, as well as former Fulham, Manchester City and Blackburn Rovers boss Mark Hughes. Porto were unbeaten in the league last season with 27 wins in 30 matches, becoming only the second Portuguese club to finish a league season unbeaten, after Benfica in 1972-73.