Chelsea have sacked manager Jose Mourinho after nine defeats in 16 Premier League games this season.
The club confirmed the 52-year-old Portuguese coach’s departure in a statement that officially ended his second spell in charge of the Blues.
“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,” the statement reads.
Mourinho led the West London side to the Premier League title and League Cup success last season, but their form has nosedived in 2015-16.
Tim Rolls, of the Chelsea Supporters Trust, told the BBC News channel that fans would have preferred to lose some of the players rather than Mourinho.
“The point he was making about betrayal was they spent hours training to stop Leicester’s Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez and they both scored goals, so they betrayed his methods rather than him.
“Mourinho is one of the great managers in world football and Chelsea have let him go twice, I think that’s a great shame.
“Even when we have lost matches at home the supporters have chanted his name, there has been very little dissent about him going (wanting him to go). I would have thought there would be frustration with some of the players.”
Chelsea are 16th in the table, only one point above the bottom three and 20 points behind leaders Leicester City, who they lost 2-1 to on Monday night in Mourinho’s last game in charge.
There are reports that Chelsea could target a move for either Pep Guardiola or Diego Simeone at the end of the season and in the meantime appoint an interim manager for the rest of the season.
Former interim boss, Guus Hiddink, has been linked with a possible return, while former Tottenham Hotspur head coach Juande Ramos is also said to be among the contenders to take over from Mourinho.
