Chelsea to sign £16m Porto star

The Blues have agreed a fee for the transfer of the Porto right-back or winger, who is now in England undergoing a medical. He has yet to agree personal terms.

The player is the first part of Avram Grant's rebuilding plans as Chelsea look to strengthen their squad before next season.

Chelsea issued a statement confirming the deal on their official website.

It read: "Chelsea can confirm it has reached agreement with FC Porto for the transfer of Jose Bosingwa. The player is now in England to discuss personal terms and undergo a medical."

The player is likely to sign a five-year contract at Stamford Bridge and Chelsea will pay around £16 million for his services.

His arrival will place more speculation on the future of Julian Belletti. He has been ignored in recent weeks, with Michael Essien playing at right-back.

Chelsea's other right-back, Portuguese international Paulo Ferreira, signed a five-year deal earlier this season and he is unlikely to move on.

United have long been in the hunt for a right-back and assistant coach Carlos Queiroz confirmed their interest in the player earlier in the season.

United saw him as a successor to Gary Neville, but Chelsea have moved swiftly to snap up the attack-minded defender.

Bosingwa is set to play for Portugal in the Euro 2008, although he was born in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

He moved to Seia in central Portugal when he was young and he began his career mainly playing in midfield for Boavista, where he made more than 40 appearances.

Bosingwa joined FC Porto in 2003, where he played under former Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho and he has been first-choice right-back for the last three seasons.

Three years ago, Bosingwa was involved in a serious car accident when his jeep skidded off a motorway and rolled down an embankment before bursting into flames.

He was with four other players at the time, but all survived. However, one of the passengers, Sandro Luis, had to have his left foot amputated as a result of the accident.

Chelsea are hopeful that John Terry and Didier Drogba will recover from injury to play in the Champions League final.

Terry dislocated his elbow and Droga suffered a knee problem in the 1-1 draw with Bolton as Manchester United clinched the title with a win at Wigan on Sunday.

But both are hopeful that they will be fit to face United in Moscow on May 21.

Terry is confident that he will play, although Chelsea boss Avram Grant said: "Drogba doesn't look so good. We'll have to wait."

Chelsea captain Terry, who was stretchered off after colliding with goalkeeper Petr Cech and Bolton's Kevin Davies after only 11 minutes at Stamford Bridge, said: "I should be fit for Moscow, fingers crossed."