Chelsea hail 'outstanding' Villas-Boas after new boss signs three-year deal

Chelsea are celebrating the arrival of Andre Villas-Boas as the club's new manager on a three-year deal. 

The Porto boss follows in the footsteps of his old boss Jose Mourinho after the Blues paid his £13.2million release fee. 

A Chelsea statement issued on Wednesday morning hailed his appointment - and its wording appeared to deliver a snub to the initial favourite for the post, Guus Hiddink.

Green light for the Blues: Andre Villas-Boas will take charge of Chelsea

It read: 'Andre was the outstanding candidate for the job. He is one of the most talented young managers in football today and has already achieved much in a relatively short space of time. 

'His ambition, drive and determination matches that of Chelsea and we are confident Andre's leadership of the team will result in greater successes in major domestic and European competitions. 

'Andre will bring his coaching experience back to a club he is already very familiar with, having previously worked here for three years. 

'He has always been highly regarded at Chelsea and everyone here looks forward to welcoming him back and working with him.' 

Villas-Boas, who previously served Chelsea as an assistant to Mourinho, is expected now to set his sights on bringing with him to Stamford Bridge some of his most prized possessions at Porto. 

London calling: Porto's Colombia international Radamel Falcao is also keen on a switch to west London

He'll cost you: Joao Moutinho is a target for Villas-Boas, but Porto want £35.5m for the midfielder

It is understood he wants striker Falcao and midfielder Joao Moutinho, two key members of the side he guided to a European and domestic treble this season. Porto president Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa immediately put a price on their heads last night, valuing Falcao at £26.5m and Moutinho at £35.5m. 

Villas-Boas could also move for two members of his coaching staff - fitness coach Jose Maria Rocha and opposition scout Daniel Sousa.

Chelsea secured the 33-year-old after payment of his £13.2million release clause was completed - while he continued to relax on holiday.

Shown the door: Carlo Ancelotti was axed by Chelsea after they finished second to Manchester United

The Portuguese will not travel to London but remain on his summer break, although he may be joined today by a Chelsea delegation sent out to complete formalities. The plan is to introduce him officially next month, once he has spent a few days working with the players in training. 

Rapid progress in securing Villas-Boas was made on Tuesday, with Porto promoting their assistant coach, Vitor Pereira, to the role of manager and informing the Portuguese stock exchange that the release clause had been paid and that their contract with Villas-Boas had been terminated. 

No return: Hiddink won't take charge of Chelsea for a second time

Pinto da Costa suggested Chelsea first made their move when Villas-Boas made a trip to England last month.

'When he went to spend a weekend in London a month or so ago, I spoke to Vitor Pereira and asked him if he would be ready to take over,' he said.

He added that it was not until last week that a deal was finalised, once Chelsea had ruled out a second spell in charge for Guus Hiddink. 

Moutinho is a central midfielder, but Chelsea remain determined to pursue Tottenham's Luka Modric, with an improvement on their original £22m offer still expected. 

Recently Villas-Boas said London was a city he felt he 'could live in perfectly' and, judging by some of the reports emerging from Portugal yesterday, he might fancy a wing of Buckingham Palace. 

Portugal's King Carlos I made Jose Gerardo de Villas Boas the first Viscount of Guilhomil in 1890. Andre's great-uncle Jose Rui inherited the title when his father, a local political leader and judge, died just before the start of the First World War. 

It became extinct only because the sole child from Jose Rui's marriage was a girl. Andre is also said to be related to a count and two