'Safe' Ten Cate goes the same way as Grant as Chelsea clear-out continues

Ten Cate told a Dutch magazine this week that he had received personal assurances from chief executive Peter Kenyon that Grant's sacking would not jeopardise his future.
"I'd rather go on that than all those newspaper reports," said the former Ajax boss on Tuesday.

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Both out: Former boss Avram Grant has been followed out of Stamford Bridge by Henk ten Cate

But on Thursday he was summoned to a meeting and fired by Kenyon, who is clearing the decks in preparation for a new manager.

Chelsea's search for a successor to Grant continues but they accept the chosen one will want to bring in his own No 2 and Ten Cate was fired after just seven months at Stamford Bridge.

A club statement said: "As a result of the team management changes at Chelsea FC, and in the light of any forthcoming appointment, it was clear this was the correct decision for all parties.

"Everybody at Chelsea would like to thank Henk for his contribution since coming to the club last year."

Ten Cate has been stunned by his treatment, which he considers tantamount to betrayal after his initial meeting with Kenyon.

He was persuaded to leave Ajax in October to work at Chelsea as joint assistant manager to Grant, alongside long-serving Steve Clarke, who remains - for now.

Clarke has two decades of Chelsea service in his favour, and the club are determined to maintain a link to their past, but the nature of Ten Cate's dismissal suggests none of Grant's staff can relax.

There is no shortage of popular former Chelsea players with coaching experience who could be part of the new managerial team.

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Target: Chelsea are believed to be interested in appointing Portugal coach 'Big Phil' Scolari as their next manager

And Portuguese FA vice-president Amandio de Carvalho claims to know Chelsea are interested in Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari as manager, while speculation grew in Italy yesterday that AC Milan's Carlo Ancelotti had fired Roman Abramovich's imagination at a meeting.

Another possible candidate, Roberto Mancini, appears to be heading for an ugly legal battle Inter Milan, who last night confirmed the worst keep secret in football - his sacking.

Inter president Massimo Moratti hoped his long and close relationship with Mancini would ensure a swift financial settlement, but Mancini's agent, Giorgio de Giorgis, flatly rejected an initial £4million offer at a meeting with finance director Ronaldo Ghelsi.

There are four years left on Mancini's contract, worth £4.7m a year, and De Giorgis insists there are no severance clauses written into the deal.

Mancini would accept a lesser package if he could walk straight into another highly-paid and high-profile job, and his determination to fight Inter is a clear indication there has been no job offer from Chelsea.

The Italian club are examining the details of Mancini's comments after defeat by Liverpool in the Champions League, when he said he had resigned but changed his mind.

The Mancini dispute has delayed the unveiling of Jose Mourinho at the San Siro and his expected swoop for some of his former players at Chelsea.

Feeling blue: Avram Grant consoles Chelsea captain John Terry after Chelsea's defeat in Moscow