Chelsea owner Abramovich may be forced to act on Andre Villas-Boas’s future following Anzhi offer to Hiddink
Wealthy Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala have offered Guus Hiddink an extraordinary £8.3 million-a-year contract (net of tax) to become their new coach and want a decision this week.
If he accepts the offer it could have significant ramifications for Chelsea, who have been considering whether to replace Andre Villas-Boas.
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich would want to turn to Hiddink as an interim manager until the end of the season should he decide to sack Villas-Boas, who is understood to be on the brink of losing his job after an apparent ebbing way of the faith in him to achieve a top-four finish in the Premier League.
The dilemma for Abramovich is that he does not feel he can push Hiddink, whom he hugely admires, but who also does not like to be linked to jobs when there is a manager in place.
However, neither does Abramovich want to risk losing the 65-year-old Dutchman, although he will not offer anywhere near the financial package being proposed by Anzhi and would probably only want him in a temporary role.
Hiddink is also comfortable with life in the country, having previously been in charge of the Russian national team and, as Telegraph Sport revealed before Christmas, has always been Anzhi’s first-choice as their new coach.