Ajax let Chelsea talk to Ten Cate

Ten Cate was assistant at Barcelona before taking over at Ajax

Ajax have given Chelsea the green light to open talks with boss Henk ten Cate about adding the Dutchman to the coaching set-up at Stamford Bridge.

Ten Cate is expected to join Chelsea as assistant to Avram Grant, who recently succeeded Jose Mourinho as Blues boss.

"Ajax have reached agreement with the English club about the immediate transfer of Henk ten Cate to Chelsea," said an Ajax statement.

Ajax expect a deal to be reached quickly between the two parties.

The statement from the club added: "After being approached by Chelsea, Henk ten Cate asked the Ajax management last week for permission to start negotiations with the Premier League side.

"After internal deliberations, Ajax granted permission."

Ten Cate, 52, was formerly assistant to Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard and helped the Catalan club win the Champions League and Spanish title in 2006.

He took over at Ajax at the start of last season and led the club to joint-top in his first campaign, with the club losing out on the title by goal difference.

Ajax did win two domestic cup competitions but Ten Cate has endured a more difficult time so far during the current campaign.

The club went out of the Champions League in the third qualifying round after being beaten by Slavia Prague and were knocked out of the Uefa Cup by Dinamo Zagreb.

Ten Cate's last game in charge of the Amsterdam outfit was last weekend's 2-2 draw with Sparta Rotterdam when he and some of the club's hierarchy came in for criticism from some fans.

But Ten Cate defended his Ajax record and said afterwards: "What must I say about that? Under my leadership we have played 41 games, gained 92 points and scored over a hundred goals."

The international break could allow the switch to take place before Chelsea's next Premier League game at Middlesbrough on 20 October.

Steve Clarke was assistant to Mourinho and Chelsea are thought to want him to continue, despite Ten Cate's arrival.