Jose Mourinho Leaves Chelsea After Ninth Premier League Defeat

Chelsea have confirmed that Jose Mourinho has left the club by mutual consent after the defending Premier League champions suffered their ninth defeat of the season.

The Blues have now lost nine of their 16 games in the league and sit in 16th place in the table after losing 1-0 to newly promoted Bournemouth last weekend and 2-1 to table-topping Leicester on Monday night.

Sources told ESPN that intense discussions over Mourinho’s position took place on Tuesday and Wednesday and the club announced that he had left on Thursday.

The statement read: “Chelsea Football Club and Jose Mourinho have today parted company by mutual consent.

“All at Chelsea thank Jose for his immense contribution since he returned as manager in the summer of 2013.

“His three league titles, FA Cup, Community Shield and three League Cup wins over two spells make him the most successful manager in our 110-year history. But both Jose and the board agreed results have not been good enough this season and believe it is in the best interests of both parties to go our separate ways.

“The club wishes to make clear Jose leaves us on good terms and will always remain a much-loved, respected and significant figure at Chelsea. His legacy at Stamford Bridge and in England has long been guaranteed and he will always be warmly welcomed back to Stamford Bridge.

“The club’s focus is now on ensuring our talented squad reaches its potential.

“There will be no further comment until a new appointment is made.”

AS had said earlier on Thursday that former Sevilla and Tottenham boss Juande Ramos’ agent was in London negotiating with Chelsea.

Ramos has been tipped to take interim charge until the end of the season, although Telegraph journalist Sam Wallace has said Guus Hiddink is set to return.

Sky Sports News reported that the new boss would be in place before Saturday’s game against Sunderland.

Chelsea have lost 12 of their last 25 games in all competitions, leading Mourinho to say that he felt “betrayed” by his players.

Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat at West Ham United on Oct. 24 had seen the board tentatively discussing the idea of dismissing the Portuguese, according to ESPN sources.

However, after already crashing out of the Capital One Cup to Stoke and with the club 20 points off the top of the Premier League, club owner Roman Abramovich has opted to take a reported £30 million hit on a man who signed a new four-year contract in the summer.

The former Porto, Inter Milan and Real Madrid boss had declared that he wanted to stay in charge at Stamford Bridge, but said the decision was ultimately down to Abramovich.