‘I still have work to do at Chelsea’

happened before. We don’t know.’

The manager’s cause has not been helped by talk of infighting between himself and a clutch of senior stars.

Frank Lampard admitted over the weekend his relationship with the manager was not ‘ideal’, and the former Porto boss, who has previously insisted he has the full backing of the hierarchy, has for the first time admitted he fears Abramovich’s axe.

Referring to Chelsea’s last season under Carlo Ancelotti, which resulted in the Italian being sacked, Villas Boas told Portuguese radio station TSF: ‘We are now in the exact same moment as last year, it is an exact copy.’

However, Villas-boas, 34, insists he is fully focused on his job of rebuilding Chelsea, despite speculation in his homeland he could return to Porto.

He said: ‘I am fully motivated on what I am doing here in Chelsea. I have solid work to do and I will be at Chelsea for a time.

‘The cycle of change is a reality and the future is excellent because it is being viewed with the owner.’

Villas-boas (right) also confirmed his intention to make a summer move for Porto forward Hulk. Sportsmail revealed last month how the manager had failed to sign the forward in January after being quoted a fee of £83million but Villas-boas has revealed his intention to return for Hulk in the summer.

‘We have (Salomon) Kalou and (Florent) Malouda, both of whom are nearing the end of their contracts, while Juan Mata and Daniel Sturridge are the future,’ he said.

‘As such, there will surely be a place to fill and I see room for an explosive player on the wing, someone who is strong in oneon-one situations and Hulk fits that profile.’

Chelsea defender David Luiz has provided a ringing endorsement of Villas-boas’s reign.

‘Am I convinced the manager will be here for a number of years? Yes, I am convinced. All teams have problems,’ said the Brazil centre back.

‘It doesn’t matter if you are young or old. I believe in the work the manager is doing. ‘When the moment is not good the first person people will criticise is the manager. It’s been difficult when we haven’t got results because we are a good team.

‘But when Chelsea win, the same people who criticise will say, “Chelsea are great”. So for me this is normal. I believe in the job Andre is doing. In the future we will have success at Chelsea.’