Chelsea ask Ajax boss to be Grant’s No 2

Chelsea's sporting director Frank Arnesen, who is becoming increasingly influential at Stamford Bridge in the wake of Jose Mourinho's departure, has offered Ten Cate the job.

Ten Cate, 52, was assistant manager at Barcelona when they won the European Cup under Frank Rijkaard in 2006 and he is already well known to Chelsea officials.

The Dutch coach, who is considering Chelsea's surprise offer, clashed with Mourinho's petulant coaching staff during the Champions League clash between the clubs at the Nou Camp in 2005.

Mourinho accused Rijkaard of going into the referee's dressing room at half-time and Ten Cate was pinpointed as the aggressor during heated scenes in the tunnel involving Rui Faria and Baltemar Brito.

That incident has not prevented Chelsea approaching Ten Cate, recommended to the club by Arnesen because of his attention to detail and meticulous planning, and they expect a decision during the international break.

Ten Cate had an excellent relationship with Ronaldinho — who remains a transfer target for Chelsea — and his potential arrival will relieve some of the pressure on Grant.

His approach is similar to Mourinho's, but it is understood that the appointment will not threaten Grant's position at the club.

Instead, Ten Cate's arrival will strengthen Arnesen's position at the club after their billionaire benefactor Roman Abramovich asked the Dutchman for potential candidates to fill the role.

The approach to Ten Cate has also put Steve Clarke's position in jeopardy.

Clarke has been taking training following Mourinho's departure, but it is understood that he is considering his position after Grant made it clear that he wanted another coach.

That man is Ten Cate and he has an excellent reputation in Europe. He told Rijkaard he wanted to strike out alone following their European Cup success and returned to Ajax as manager that summer.

Although he never played for the club during his largely anonymous career with Go Ahead Eagles and SC Heracles, he announced that he would be manager of Ajax 'within 10 years' when he began his coaching career in 1988.

Although it took a while longer, Ten Cate achieved his ambition eventually, but financial constraints have prevented him taking the four-time European Cup winners back to the top of Dutch football.

They were denied the Eredivisie title on goal difference last season and face Dinamo Zagreb in the UEFA Cup first round this evening.