Ten Cate is Chelsea manager in waiting

Such is the regard in which Henk ten Cate, the Dutch coach who is due to join Chelsea in the next few days, is held that he will be given the opportunity to succeed Avram Grant should the Israeli fail as manager at Stamford Bridge.

Club sources claimed yesterday that Ten Cate, whose candidacy has been pushed by the influential chief scout Frank Arnesen, has impressed the owner Roman Abramovich, who is willing to pay him more than £2m-a-year. Such a sum is unheard of for the post of assistant manager – and it is twice what Grant has been paid – and although Ten Cate would arrive as the Israeli's deputy, and work under him, he will also have full control of first-team training and help shape the team's tactics.

Ten Cate's name has risen to the top of the list of possible replacements for Grant although the immediate intention is that his arrival will bolster the Israeli's chances of succeeding. Nevertheless, despite Abramovich's desire for Grant to do well, he will not hesitate to make a change should results not be good enough. Ten Cate is expected to take control of his last match as Ajax coach tomorrow when they play a league game away to Sparta Rotterdam. On Monday the Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon is due to have talks with Ajax over compensation.

Ten Cate has endured a difficult time at Ajax after moving to Amsterdam last year having won the European Cup with Barcelona as Frank Rijkaard's assistant. He is due to leave Ajax at the end of this season, whatever happens, although, after a poor start to this campaign, he may have been sacked before then in any case.

Ajax are keen for Ten Cate to leave and have lined up Marco Van Basten, the coach of the Dutch national side, as his replacement although the former striker will not arrive until after next summer's European Championship. In the meantime Ajax will make do with a temporary coach, probably from within their current staff.

Grant has also held discussions with an Israeli coach, Eyal Lahman, as he attempts to re-mould his backroom staff following the departure of Jose Mourinho and his four-strong Portuguese coaching team. Lahman, formerly at the Arab-Israeli team Beni Sakhnin, who played Newcastle United in the Uefa Cup three years ago, is wanted to take control of the defensive coaching.

The future of Grant's other assistant, Steve Clarke, remains in some doubt with indications that the Scot wants to quit and is looking for new employment. Jamie Redknapp, the former England international, has already been discussed as a possible replacement for Clarke, who has taken training since Mourinho's departure.

Speaking ahead of tomorrow's Premier League match away to Bolton Wanderers, Grant indicated that he would not be too involved on the training pitches himself. "Coach is coaching and I am manager," he said.

While denying that Clarke was unhappy Grant confirmed that talks had taken place with Ten Cate. "It's no secret and we lost four coaches from the last staff," he said. "One assistant, one fitness and one scout and goalkeeping [coach] and we have checked many possibilities. Henk has a good record as assistant at Barcelona and we are looking for two. One English – and one foreign. We have one British and is doing a very good job in the last two weeks and he has replaced two men."

Grant said that he knew Ten Cate and had met him while at Barcelona – but declined to confirm whether he had been involved in recruiting him. "He loves football and when I look for an assistant we need a top coach and he looks to be a very modern football coach," Grant added.

He bridled at suggestions, however, that Ten Cate would have a greater input on tactics. "I worked all my life with two assistants, even with the Israeli national team," Grant said. "They can make an opinion but the final decision is mine. I'm in charge. You will attack me when I'm not successful, and that's right."

The midweek Champions League victory away to Valencia has certainly helped to improve Grant's standing but he knows that, following a defeat and a draw, he needs to start improving results in the Premier League. Tomorrow he will be without the suspended Didier Drogba and although Frank Lampard will return from injury he may not be fit enough to start.