Porto pout sees Chelsea after Benfica’s Tiago

CHELSEA chief executive Peter Kenyon has admitted the club’s interest in Portuguese midfielder Tiago.

The 23-year-old Benfica player is a fringe member of Portugal’s Euro 2004 squad and Chelsea have turned their attention to him as their relationship with newly-crowned European champions Porto becomes increasingly strained after first manager Jose Mourinho and then full-back Paulo Ferreira were snapped up by the big-spending Londoners.

“Tiago has been identified as one of three possible solutions to Chelsea’s needs,” said Kenyon.

On Sunday Porto president Jorge Pinto da Costa blasted Blues owner Roman Abramovich, saying he wished Mourinho had joined an Italian club instead.

Chelsea had been keen on recruiting playmaker Deco and defensive midfielder Costinha from Porto.