SOCCER:Russia coach Guus Hiddink is in talks with Chelsea to succeed Luiz Felipe Scolari as manager on a short-term deal until the end of the season. The Dutchman is currently in Turkey where he is preparing his Russia side for a friendly tomorrow.

And he has admitted his interest in a role at Stamford Bridge "for the next two or three months" while confirming he won't be leaving his international post.

Earlier Hiddink's agent had played down any move to Stamford Bridge, but the 62-year-old has now expressed a desire to help the Blues.

"I must say that this is an exceptional situation,” said Hiddink. "If it was any other club aside from Chelsea my answer would be a straight 'no'.

"But Chelsea is different because I have good relations with the owner. So I would like to help them in this situation if I could.

"But this would only be for the next two or three months until the end of the season.

"Of course when Russia would play (World Cup qualifiers) I would go there to coach them during that (international window) as there won't be any (league) games during that time.

"I have already done that (combining two jobs) a couple of years ago when I was coaching Australia and PSV (Eindhoven), so I'm familiar with the situation and what it takes.

"I will not leave my job with the Russian national team. It's out of the question.

"When I took the Russia job it was a long-term project and I don't like to leave it unfinished."

This may only serve as a temporary stopgap which leaves individuals like AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti as one of the main contenders to take over at the end of the season.

The Italian appears to be owner Roman Abramovich’s choice to replace Scolari on a full-time basis.

Scolari was sacked at the club’s Cobham training ground by Abramovich yesterday after Chelsea slipped to fourth place in the Barclays Premier League.

As the Blues are unlikely to get their man until the end of the season when Ancelotti may make way at Milan for another Chelsea contender - Frank Rijkaard.

Rijkaard would be interested in taking the Chelsea job but not on a caretaker basis and the Blues are now concentrating on finding somebody – like Hiddink - willing to keep the seat warm until they can get the right man.

Rijkaard has been out of management since leaving Barcelona last summer and has since been linked to the Chelsea job following the sacking of Scolari.

Rijkaard’s interest in a long-term appointment has opened up the possibility for a return to Stamford Bridge for 53-year-old Israeli Avram Grant.

However, Grant, who steered the team to the final of the Champions League and pushed Manchester United all the way in the Barclays Premier last season, was then fired to make way for Scolari.

Grant is a close friend of Abramovich but his appointment, however temporary, would not go down well with the players or the majority of the fans.

Chelsea have made it clear they want to make a quick appointment and that could arrive within the next 24 hours.

Former Inter Milan boss Roberto Mancini is another outsider. He is currently out of work and was touted as a possible successor to Grant last summer.

Chelsea could even decide to hand Ray Wilkins the job until the summer with Grant arriving as director of football.