Chelsea coach named soon

London - Chelsea has responded to reports that Portuguese coach Andre Villas-Boas will be taking over at the Premier League club by saying it hopes to announce a new manager in "the next few days."

Portugal's national news agency Lusa and several Portuguese newspaper websites reported Monday that Chelsea has agreed to pay the 15 million release clause in Villas-Boas's current contract with Porto.

Chelsea said in a statement that "we hope to be able to make an announcement regarding the new manager in the next few days or so, but until then we will not be commenting further on the speculation surrounding that appointment."

Porto President Jorge Pinto da Costa has told Portugal's Sport TV that the club would be powerless to prevent Villas-Boas leaving if the due payment was made on the exit clause.