CHELSEA have announced that Portugal manager Luiz Felipe Scolari will be their new boss.

CHELSEA have announced that Portugal manager Luiz Felipe Scolari will be their new boss.

The shock announcement came just hours after the Brazilian saw his Portugal side beat the Czech Republic 3-1 to ensure a quarter final place in Euro 2008.

Scolari had played down speculation linking him to the job and was not expected to discuss his future until after the tournament.

A statement posted on Chelsea's website tonight said: “Chelsea Football Club is delighted to confirm that Luiz Felipe Scolari will be the club's new manager from July 1, 2008.

“Felipe has great qualities. He is one of the world's top coaches with a record of success at country and club level, he gets the best out of a talented squad of players and his ambitions and expectations match ours. He was the outstanding choice.

“Out of respect for his current role as Head Coach of the Portuguese national team, and to ensure minimum disruption to this work, there will be no further comment from Chelsea FC nor from Felipe about his new role until his employment with us commences.”