Chelsea have confirmed Guus Hiddink will be their temporary manager until the end of the season.

The Dutchman has agreed to a short-term deal worth in excess of £2million as he attempts to turn around the club's flagging campaign.

Hiddink will combine the Chelsea job with his role as Russia's national team coach and is flying to London tomorrow to meet the players.

Assistant coach Ray Wilkins will be in charge of the team for Saturday's FA Cup tie at Watford, with the former PSV Eindhoven boss set to start work on Monday.

Hiddink said: “I expect to be on the field in London next week. It's never enough time to prepare a team in one week but this is an
exceptional situation.

“Chelsea have good players and they should be in top form and that should make my job
easier.”

The 62-year-old, who will be at Vicarage Road at the weekend, also said he hopes to contact his
predecessor at Stamford Bridge, Luiz Felipe Scolari, to discuss team issues.

Hiddink claims not to have signed a contract and is happy to work on trust for his long-term friend, the Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.

“I don't have to sign one, it's not a question of money,” said Hiddink, whose pay could rise to £2.5m if Chelsea go on to win the Champions League in May and qualify for next season's competition.

It will, however, be a hectic three months for Hiddink as he tries to keep Russia's bid to qualify for the 2010 World Cup on track at the same time as managing the Blues.

Leading football figures, including England coach Fabio Capello, have already spoken of the difficulties in juggling two such demanding positions.

And today Vitaly Mutko, president of the Russian Football Union, warned Hiddink should be in no doubt where his loyalties lie. Mutko said: “In principle we are not against Hiddink combining the two jobs provided that our national team remain his top priority.

“Now further development of the situation totally depends on Hiddink himself. I'm going to meet him on Friday and talk through all details and
conditions.”

Capello believes that Hiddink will have a tough job dealing with the new combined role, even though the Dutchman had considerable success with PSV Eindhoven and Australia earlier in his career.

When asked what kind of manager it takes to be at the helm for games in the Premier League, Champions League and World Cup qualifiers at the same time, the Italian said: “It is a job for three men. He did this before with Australia and PSV Eindhoven but I prefer to think of one job, not two.”