9.48 PM Thursday, 28 March 2024
  • City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
  • Dubai 04:57 06:11 12:27 15:53 18:37 19:51
28 March 2024

AVB more expensive Chelsea flop than Torres

Chelsea's Fernando Torres warms up during a training session a day before the Champions League last 16 first leg match against Napoli, in Naples on February 20. (REUTERS)

Published

Chelsea's goal-shy £50 million signing Fernando Torres can gain some consolation from the fact that Andre Villas-Boas would cost the club more after his failed adventure.

The young Portuguese manager was sacked after just eight months on the jobs following a string of dismal results and public spats with star players.

Villas-Boas, 34, was axed after taking training on Sunday with his assistant Roberto Di Matteo named as interim coach.

As Chelsea begin the search for their eighth manager in eight years, Russian owner Roman Abramovich must be counting the cost of £50 million of AVB's managerial reign, according to The Sun.
 
Abramovich stumped up £13.3 million in compensation to buy out Villas-Boas' contract with Porto last June.
 
He had already spent more than £10m paying off former boss Carlo Ancelotti and his coaching staff.
 
But AVB must be laughing all the way to bank after pocketing £3.5m for 40 games after working for just 36 weeks during a three-year deal worth £90,000-a-week.
 
Abramovich will have to cough out a further £11m just to get rid of the Portuguese failure, according to the report.
 
The total cost of Villas-Boas will soar beyond the £50m spent on record-signing Torres last year if the price of recruiting yet another superstar manager is added.
 
Chelsea, beaten 1-0 at West Brom on Saturday, have suffered their worst start to a season since 2001.
 
There has been unrest in the dressing room with players unhappy at AVB's team selections.
 
Ashley Cole was left fuming after being dropped to the bench for the Champions League first-leg tie with Napoli, which the Blues lost 3-1.
 
A statement on the club website yesterday read: "Andre Villas-Boas has parted company with Chelsea FC.
 
"The board would like to record our gratitude for his work and express our disappointment that the relationship has ended so early.
 
"Unfortunately, the results and performances of the team have not been good enough and were showing no signs of improving at a key time in the season."