Coventry No 2 gives brush-off to new Chelsea boss Scolari

Chelsea's offer for Coventry assistant manager Steve Kean to join Luiz Felipe Scolari in the dugout has been turned down.

Kean believes his ability to speak Portuguese fluently, after six years as a player with Coimbra, was behind the approach as Scolari only has a limited grasp of English.

But Kean has politely declined the offer to join Chelsea's coaching staff, preferring instead to remain manager Chris Coleman's right-hand man.

Outlining why he turned down the chance, Kean said: Someone acting on behalf of Scolari contacted me about a role at Chelsea.

'I was very honest and explained that I'm under contract on a very exciting project at Coventry. I immediately phoned Chris Coleman and Ray Ranson, the chairman, and told them why I thought Chelsea had contacted me.

'I can speak Portuguese, I've a lot of experience in the Premier League and I suppose I tick the boxes of what they're looking for to help Scolari get started over here. I have to say I was very flattered by the approach but the simple fact is I'm at Coventry and we're just getting started on something very exciting.'

As well as sorting out his coaching personnel, Brazilian Scolari must contend with keeping his playing staff after Jose Mourinho said he wants to take Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba to Inter Milan.

New Inter boss Mourinho is also keen on Barcelona's Chelsea target Deco, who he coached as part of the Porto side that lifted the 2004 European Cup. 'I really like those three players, they helped me win some great titles,' said the former Chelsea manager. 'I would love to work with them again.'

Reports in Italy yesterday claimed representatives of Lampard, 30 today, will discuss a £10million move to Inter in the next 10 days.

The England midfielder is understood to want a four-year extension to his current deal which expires next summer while Chelsea are only willing to offer an additional two.

AC Milan were keen on Drogba but vice-president Adriano Galliani has made it clear their No 1 target now is Arsenal's Emmanuel Adebayor.

Galliani said: 'Arsenal, at the moment, do not want to sell. Anything can happen, but for now we are not authorised to negotiate with the player.'

Sources at Arsenal claim they are more optimistic about Adebayor's willingness to sign a new deal following the latest round of talks with his representatives, but Milan would have no trouble matching the £80,000 a week the striker feels he deserves.

Arsene Wenger, who has already signed Cardiff's 17- year-old Aaron Ramsey, looks set to recruit France midfielder Samir Nasri, who was in London yesterday undergoing a medical. The Marseille 20-year-old is expected to complete a £12m move to The Emirates this week.