The Blues have seen offers of £22million and £27million rejected for Tottenham playmaker Modric this summer and have been linked with a £30million bid for some weeks.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy has repeatedly insisted Modric is not for sale at any price but manager Harry Redknapp yesterday admitted it could be in the club's interest to let the 25-year-old leave and spend the transfer fee on reinforcing their squad.

Villas-Boas is already exploring alternatives to Modric, hinting Chelsea would not be held to ransom over the Croatia star and that billionaire owner Abramovich would veto any move if he believed that to be the case.

"It doesn't depend on me. It's not my money!" said the new Blues boss, who also insisted his own opinion on transfers was taken into account.

"It depends on a lot of things. It depends on the club's decision, if they are willing to go forward or not, up to which value, and to decide whether they want to keep the interest in the player."

He added: "Luka, on this particular occasion, is a young player but there would be for sure a sensible price to pay."

Villas-Boas last week revealed he was attempting to sign two midfielders before the August 31 deadline.

As well as Modric, he has been linked with Valencia's Juan Mata, Liverpool's Raul Meireles, Porto's Joao Moutinho and the latter's wing-back team-mate Alvaro Pereira.

He refused to comment on any of them today although he did admit players could leave Stamford Bridge if there were further arrivals.

He added: "We have been studying all kinds of options."

An injury to Michael Essien is a factor behind Chelsea's pursuit of a pair of midfielders.

Essien was last month ruled out until January after undergoing knee surgery, although Villas-Boas today revealed he was hopeful the Ghana star would be back sooner.

The new Chelsea boss suffered another injury blow yesterday when a training-ground accident saw Petr Cech ruled out for up to four weeks with medial ligament damage in his right knee.

The Czech Republic goalkeeper was hurt when an unnamed team-mate landed on him following an aerial challenge.

"It looked pretty nasty," Villas Boas said.

"We expected much worse when we saw the incident."

Villas-Boas must now decide whether to start Hilario or Ross Turnbull in Saturday's Barclays Premier League game against West Brom.

"Tomorrow, I think we'll make a full decision," he said, insisting he had no fears over either of them.

"I think if I said I was concerned then it would mean that I had not made the correct analysis of the squad.

"But I am happy with the keepers I have. I have maximum trust in what I have and in the selection that I take when one of them is injured."

Villas-Boas, who knows Hilario from his time as a scout in the Jose Mourinho era, added: "Hilario surprised everybody when he came and Ross the same.

"When they have performed for the team, the team has performed well as well."

Chelsea will be boosted by the return to full fitness of Branislav Ivanovic, who was an unused substitute in Sunday's opening-day draw at Stoke, but David Luiz (thigh) remains out until next week and Daniel Sturridge is still suspended.

New signing Oriol Romeu trained with his team-mates for the first time today after Spain's Under-20 World Cup exit but he will not be considered for selection until the Norwich game a week on Saturday.

Fellow new boy Romelu Lukaku, however, is finally available after completing his protracted move from Anderlecht today.

Villas-Boas had no fears about throwing the 18-year-old in at the deep end but warned he faced "the biggest competition of his life" trying to oust Fernando Torres, Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka, Florent Malouda and Salomon Kalou from the squad.

"He is tremendously powerful, very strong in the challenges," Villas-Boas said.

"Despite his size, he has an explosiveness and an ability to react quickly which looks pretty amazing.

"He just has to break through this competitive level and, for sure, he will get opportunities this year.

Lukaku has been compared to Drogba, who was today still in negotiations over a one-year contract extension.

Villas-Boas claimed Chelsea fan Lukaku could emulate his idol, saying: "If he performs to the level that Drogba has performed for this club then why not?"