[photo by Vladimir Maiorov]

• by Adam Huntington, writing from Dundee, Scotland

Since Carlo Ancelotti's ridiculous, but partially expected, departure from Chelsea a couple of months back, there has been much speculation as to who would take up the reigns next at the London club. As usual, plenty of names were randomly dropped in, from the unemployed Marco van Basten to old favourite Mourinho. Hiddink was a front runner for a long time, favoured by Abramovic, and it was hard to look past him; he managed the team well in the short spell in 2009. With Hiddink seemingly uneasy with the managerial role at Chelsea, he took up the director of football position within the club, and left Abramovic still manager-less.

FC Porto boss Andre Villas-Boas was not initially considered by many to succeed Ancelotti. He looked comfortable and content in Porto and signed a contract extension in December that was to keep him there until 2013. Something of a prodigy, Villas-Boas has been incredible this season, breaking multiple records en route to one of the most comprehensively dominating seasons in recent times. He's now the youngest manager ever to win a European Cup, he guided the team to the highest number of consecutive wins in the Portugese League (16), and managed the biggest points margin over the second placed team in the league (21). With much the same charm and confidence as former Porto boss Jose Mourinho, Villas-Boas has gained many fans and plaudits in a very short time. Winning the Europa this year with an albeit strong squad, one that barely appeared to break sweat at times, has only pushed him further into the limelight.

In what seems like a practically done deal, Villas-Boas is now off to Chelsea, hunting for more illustrious silverware with a bigger challenge behind it. Breaking those records in Portugal was no mean feat, but when you look at the squad he had; the likes of Falcao and Hulk, his task was made much easier for him. It will be interesting to see if Villas-Boas tries to bring any of his players with him to London. Some would say that Falcao would be surplus to requirements in a team that contained Anelka, Drogba and Torres, but I feel, as he's an in-form striker, he could offer Chelsea something different. Hulk will surely be considered though, the powerful forward could play as either a left or the right attacking midfielder and based on his performances last season, he'd be revolutionary. Uncompromising, athletic and talented, Hulk would offer an ailing Chelsea side some drive and ambition. That said, Villas-Boas could do the same.

Having never played football professionally, Villas-Boas was instead involved with the coaching side from an unprecedentedly young age. He gained his first coaching badge at the age of seventeen, and managed the British Virgin Islands at the age of twenty one, however he lost both his games. After that, he partnered up with Jose Mourinho and became an impressive opposition scout, delivering reports that went into unbelievable detail. In 2009 he stepped out of the Mourinho shadow and became the manager of struggling Portugese side Academica, bottom of the table and without a win. Villas-Boas guided them to a mid table finish and to a Portugese League Cup semi final. He then moved to Porto where, in his first full season in charge of a club, he won the treble.

Reports initially said that Chelsea had triggered a €15 million release clause in Villas-Boas' contract, allowing them to hold talks with him. However, as of this morning, new reports from Portugal are suggesting that the Porto manager has resigned and paid the clause himself. We all know that Villas-Boas doesn't simply have that money lying around. I suspect it's been a busy morning for Abramovic's accountant. Expect to see him at Stamford Bridge in the next couple of days.

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