Media reports from Holland had linked Hiddink with a move to Chelsea but the Blues have made it clear that billionaire owner Abramovich is not preparing a move for the Russia manager

Abramovich's office issued a statement in Russia in response to the speculation and Chelsea insist the situation remains unchanged.

A Chelsea statement read: "Information that Mr Abramovich is preparing to, or already has, offered Gus Hiddink a management post at Chelsea is untrue.

"On the contrary, Mr Abramovich is very pleased the Russian Football Union has offered to renew Mr Hiddink's contract until 2010.

"Thanks to Mr Hiddink the Russian national team has become more exciting and solid, giving hope for achieving serious success on both the European and international levels."

Earlier on Thursday Chelsea had confirmed first-team coach Avram Grant's plans to strengthen his backroom team.

Grant, basking in Chelsea's impressive Champions League victory away to Valencia, is considering having a foreign assistant coach to work alongside Steve Clarke.

Reports in Holland suggesting that Ajax boss Henk ten Cate is the person Grant has in mind and has met with Chelsea technical director Frank Arnesen, fuelled fresh speculation that the arrival of ten Cate would be the first step towards preparing a backroom team for fellow Dutchman Hiddink.

But it is Grant who is currently shaping Chelsea's future.

Earlier the Blues released a statement which read: "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."

Hiddink for his part has always been been quick to play down any suggestions that he is heading for Stamford Bridge and only last week was quoted as saying he had told Abramovich he wanted to concentrate on getting the national team to the Euro 2008 finals.

Russia are two points behind second-placed England in Group E with three games left and face Steve McClaren's side in Moscow in two weeks.

Hiddink's current deal with the Russian Football Federation is understood to expire next year but the Dutchman has previously said he was going to extend it until 2010 whether or not they qualified for next year's major tournament.

Meanwhile, Chelsea captain John Terry has declared himself fit for England's Euro 2008 qualifiers against Estonia and Russia.

Terry, who led Chelsea to victory over Valencia in the Champions League on Wednesday wearing a face mask to protect the cheekbone he fractured against Fulham five days earlier, said: "I am definitely going to be ready for England. I'm fit now and no excuses.

"It was okay playing in the mask. I got used to it in training and didn't have any problems at all. As long as I am wearing my mask in games it is going to full protect me. I just have to be careful."

Chelsea's victory in Valencia was a repeat of their success in the Mestalla in last year's competition but this time Joe Cole and Didier Drogba scored the goals that mattered.

Cole tapped home Chelsea's equaliser to cancel out David Villa's ninth minute opener and Drogba struck a second-half winner.

Cole had a particularly outstanding game and he felt that, after all the upheaval, that the team was finally back on track for the first time under Grant.

Cole declared: "We felt like we were really back but it is only a start and we are not going to get too excited.

"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. I think we found the extra five-10% we needed at Valencia.

"In bad situations, the worst thing players can do is start pointing fingers at each other. We all took that on board and had to look at ourselves and perform better.

"Those guts and togetherness are why we have had so much success. I love playing for a team like that. It has been a similar situation to when we went down at West Ham but it is a different kind of pressure.

"You have to learn from your career. At West Ham there were people blaming each other but it is not like that at Chelsea. It is like you are 11 brothers on the pitch fighting for each other,. That is what Chelsea are all about and what I play football for."

Drogba, one of the players most upset by Mourinho's sudden departure, scored the vital decider to prove he is over the sadness.

Cole added: "When Didier plays like that he is unplayable. He is the best In the world. Playing with him is a dream because you get balls off him, you know when you get the ball wide he is going to get on the end of your crosses, he runs the channels and does the work of two players."