Ten Cate can join Chelsea say Ajax

LONDON, England -- Dutch giants Ajax have given coach Henk ten Cate the go-ahead to negotiate with Chelsea regarding a job with the Premier League champions.

Ajax issued a statement on their Web site saying that they have reached agreement with the west London club over ten Cate's release.

According to Dutch media reports, ten Cate is expected to sign a $12.5 million three-year deal and become part of new manager Avram Grant's coaching team.

"Ajax have reached agreement with the English club about the immediate transfer of Henk ten Cate," said the Ajax statement.

"After being approached by Chelsea, Henk ten Cate asked the Ajax management last week for permission to start negotiations with the Premier League side. After internal deliberations, Ajax granted permission.

"It is now up to Chelsea and Henk ten Cate to finalise the deal together. Ajax do not expect this to take much time."

Grant is still looking for a fitness coach; a goalkeeping coach and a scout, but Steve Clarke and Ten Cate would be the men responsible for first-team affairs under him.

The 52-year-old Israeli has always worked with two assistants and confirmed last Friday that he was hoping for a European coach to join Clarke -- naming ten Cate as one of the men he had identified.

Ten Cate, who previously worked under compatriot Frank Rijkaard at Barcelona, is under contract at Ajax until the end of the season.

The Amsterdam side are currently second in the Dutch league, but are out of Europe. They lost to Slavia Prague in Champions League qualifying before going down to Dinamo Zagreb in the UEFA Cup first round.

However, numerous members of the Chelsea first-team squad are now away on international duty with captain John Terry among them.

Chelsea's win at Bolton last Saturday was their first since Grant succeeded Jose Mourinho as manager -- and Terry has gone on record as saying that the Israeli is the 'right man for the job' . E-mail to a friend