Chelsea closing in Avram Grant again

The Guardian claim that Pompey's technical director Avram Grant is 'on the verge' of taking up a similar position or director of football role with Chelsea.

An unconfirmed 'source at Pompey' is believed to have said something along the lines of 'Grant's departure is regarded as inevitable' with negations said to be underway.

It looked as though the former Israel manager was going to leave Pompey in January but stayed, although it has looked highly likely for most of the summer that he would be leaving after only a year - having arrived in June 2006.

Quite what the relationship is like between Harry Redknapp and Grant I am not entirely sure, but we know that Redknapp likes things his way and having a person in a position such as Grant's may not quite give him exactly what he wants.

Over the summer Redknapp has said that he would like Grant to stay, but has been quite philosophical in his thoughts that should he wish to leave he would not be opposed to it.

My thinking is that someone in Grant's kind of role is something that most clubs need, but finding the right person - someone that that is not viewed as a 'threat' to most mangers - is hard to find, with Redknapp seeming most uneasy - after all he held a director of football position here at first before stepping into Graham Rix's shoes.

Something else I feel though is that if Chelsea want Grant they will get him, but quite whether they actually need him is another matter altogether.

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