Hiddink makes Chelsea claim

Updated 11.45 Thu Sep 27 2007

Keywords: Champions League, Premier League, Jose Mourinho, Avram Grant, Chelsea, football, sport

Russia coach Guus Hiddink has claimed that Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has asked him to take the Stamford Bridge hotseat.

However, the Blues have insisted in the wake of Jose Mourinho's departure that they have not offered the manager's job to anyone other than Avram Grant.

"Abramovich asked me 'What do you want?" - Guus Hiddink

In the face of intense media speculation, the men from Stamford Bridge have stressed that Grant's appointment is permanent.

However, Hiddink has been reported as saying: "Abramovich asked me 'What do you want?'.

"I told him that right now I want to do nothing else except concentrate on Russia. I want to see this through now and then see what happens."

Abramovich currently pays half of Hiddink's £1.2 million-a-year wages and the 60-year-old Dutchman could potentially be available after Russia's Euro 2008 qualification campaign comes to an end in November.

But Hiddink appears happy in Russia, adding: "We like living in Moscow and they seem to like us.

"We have started a project here with this team and they want us to stay for another two years after the European Championships."