Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas

Chelsea are still hopeful of completing the signing Lucas Moura (Wikipedia), the Sao Paulo attacking midfielder, before Tuesday’s transfer deadline.

As revealed on Wednesday, Chelsea are determined to see off other leading European clubs by signing the Brazilian teenage prodigy, who has a release clause worth £66 million, although he would actually cost considerably less.

They are trying to complete the deal this month, although if successful they are likely to loan the player back to Sao Paulo for the rest of the season.

Kevin De Bruyne, the Genk winger, also remains a target although Andre Villas-Boas, the Chelsea manager, admitted that the pursuit of the 20 year-old — valued at around £8.5 million — was being driven by others at Stamford Bridge as part of the club’s policy to target and recruit young players for the future.

“It’s not within my immediate projects. It’s a target that’s decided by the club, that I knew about for quite some time,” he said. “He was under the scrutiny of the club for some time, we’ve been following this player.

"Romelu Lukaku the same, and Petr Cech was the same when we arrived in 2004. In the sense that the club policy for the future, it’s the right thing [to buy him] and I’ll do everything in my power for him to reach maximum potential.”

Villas-Boas has ruled out a move for Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Willian, citing the £17 million price-tag as one of a number of reasons.

Meanwhile, the Ivory Coast say the hamstring injury sustained by Chelsea striker Salomon Kalou after he opened the scoring in Thursday’s 2-0 victory over Burkina Faso in the Africa Cup of Nations is not as serious as first feared.