Chile: Villarreal Look To Extend Pellegrini Stay Until 2011

Spanish side Villarreal are set to offer their Chilean coach Manuel Pellegrini a new one year extension to his contract, taking him through until the summer of 2011.

Pellegrini, 55, led Villarreal to a hugely impressive second place finish in La Liga last season - a position that they currently occupy this time around, sitting just one point off leaders Barcelona.

With qualification from their Champions League group looking all but assured, Villarreal are understandably keen to extend Pellegrini's current deal, which runs until the end of next season.

A number of big European clubs are said to be considering a move for the highly-rated coach, and the Yellow Submarine will want to tie him down to another year as soon as possible in order to ward off such interest.

Pellegrini Signs New Villarreal Contract

Manuel Pellegrini has extended his contract with Villarreal until 2010, following the side's impressive start to their La Liga campaign.

Pellegrini's contract was due to expire at the end of this current season and the Chilean coach had been previously linked with the positions at Chelsea and Valencia before extending his deal.

Villarreal currently lie fourth in the Primera Division after fifteen games, five points behind league leaders Real Madrid.

Chelsea Wanted Pellegrini?

Manuel Pellegrini's agent, Alberto Poletti, has claimed that Chelsea were in contact with him to find out the availability of the Villarreal manager, after sacking Jose Mourinho earlier this season.

It also seems that Atletico Madrid held an interest in Pellegrini.

Poletti is quoted as saying:

"In the last months Atletico Madrid showed interest in him but as he had given his word to Villarreal he will stay with this team until his contract expires and a few weeks ago some people from Chelsea has asked me about him.

"Since Mourinho left Chelsea there have been many candidates for that position and Pellegrini has been one of the names proposed for that position.

"Pellegrini is very interested in working in England because they have one of the most important leagues in the world and Pellegrini is sure that he has the capacity to work there".

With Pellegrini out of contract with Villarreal at the end of the season, this could be seen as Poletti trying to raise the Chilean coach's stock with potential suitors, especially in England. Whether there is any validity to the Chelsea claim is any-one's guess.