Ten Cate ready for Chelsea switch

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands -- Ajax Amsterdam coach Henk Ten Cate will join Chelsea as first team coach, according to a report from Dutch press agency ANP.

A source close to Ten Cate said that the coach had agreed to move to the London club.

TV network NOS claimed that both parties had signed a deal.

Ajax failed to qualify for the Champions League group stages and on Thursday made an early exit from the UEFA Cup at the hands of Dinamo Zagreb.

It is thought that Ten Cate will coach the senior team at Stamford Bridge with Avram Grant continuing in his official role of director of football.

Grant has been in charge of the team since the departure of Jose Mourinho and after losing at Manchester United in his first match and being held at home by Fulham in the league, Chelsea were impressive 2-1 winners in Valencia in their midweek Champions League fixture.

A Chelsea spokesman said: "Chelsea first team coach Avram Grant has made it publicly clear several times that he intends to strengthen his backroom team in addition to his assistant coach Steve Clarke.

"One of the scenarios Avram is considering is a team containing a British assistant coach in Steve and a foreign assistant coach, a system the first team are already familiar with."

Ten Cate formerly assisted Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard.

Chelsea captain John Terry has said that he will be fit for England's next Euro 2008 qualifiers, despite fracturing a cheekbone against Fulham last weekend.

Terry wore a protective face mask in the game in Valencia.

"I am definitely going to be ready for England. I'm fit now and no excuses," he said. "It was okay playing in the mask. I got used to it in training and didn't have any problems at all."

Joe Cole, who had an impressive game, said that there were clear signs that the team was returning to its best for the first time since Mourinho's departure.

He said: "We have set the standard now and we have to keep winning. We have never had doubts it would come good but we need to do it again at Bolton on Sunday." E-mail to a friend