Since 2005, De Visser also scouts for Chelsea and is considered a close personal adviser on transfers to club owner Roman Abramovich. In one of his first scouting assignments for Chelsea, De Visser was responsible for the transfer of Arjen Robben from PSV to Chelsea. Guus Hiddink, who played under De Visser at De Graafschap and who worked with him at PSV, was recommended to Abramovich for the position of manager of the Russia national team. De Visser also recommended the hiring of Frank Arnesen to Abramovich, a move which was opposed by then Chelsea manager José Mourinho. It was also De Visser who first recommended the signing of John Obi Mikel and Salomon Kalou to Frank Arnesen for Chelsea. De Visser and Arnesen later clashed with former Chelsea manager Mourinho over transfer policy, with the two allegedly recommending Alex be brought over from PSV to solve the club's defensive problems, while Mourinho was said to have preferred Khalid Boulahrouz instead.