Chelsea sights on dream dutch duo

Posted Monday, April 18, 2011 by Express.co.uk

Chelsea sights on dream dutch duo
Marco Van Basten, who's managed Holland and Ajax, is aware of Chelsea’s interest

CHELSEA are ready to go double Dutch as they prepare to axe current Stamford Bridge boss Carlo Ancelotti in the summer.

Guus Hiddink, who led Chelsea to their FA Cup win in 2009 while in temporary control, has turned down owner Roman Abramovich’s overtures to make a return as permanent manager. Hiddink, also wanted by Ajax and currently in charge of Turkey, fancies the role of director of football with a younger team boss working alongside him. He has told Abramovich’s football aides to go for Marco van Basten, who he believes has the personality to handle the big stars at Stamford Bridge and deliver the Champions League which the owner desperately craves. Van Basten, who has managed Holland and Ajax, is aware of Chelsea’s interest and has been studying the team closely in the last few weeks while working as a pundit for Dutch TV. Close friends say he is excited about the possibility of taking over at Chelsea with Hiddink eventually alongside him. Hiddink will not leave the Turkish job until the country’s European Championship fate is determined.

But until then he will still have time to have an input in Chelsea’s future if they go down the Van Basten route. Another Dutchman, Frank Rijkaard, is also in the frame. Rijkaard hasn’t worked in football since he left Galatasaray in November but would be keen on ending his exile at Stamford Bridge. But Hiddink still has Abramovich’s ear and he is backing Van Basten to do the business at Stamford Bridge.

Abramovich would love Barcelona’s Pep Guardiola to move from the Nou Camp to West London but the Spaniard, although indicating his time with Barca is coming to an end, has signed up for at least one more season. That has left Chelsea looking elsewhere as they bring down the ABRAMOVICH curtain on Ancelotti’s reign.