Mourinho and Chelsea part ways

Defeat to Leicester City on Monday left Chelsea languishing in 16th in the Premier League table, only a point above the relegation zone, with Mourinho accusing his players of betraying his work on the pitch and suggesting that they overachieved in winning the title last season.

Update [10:15 a.m.]: Chelsea have now confirmed it.

Kezman, quoted on the website of Croatian newspaper Index, said Hiddink has told him he will succeed Jose Mourinho at Stamford Bridge.

After several weeks of speculation, Jose Mourinho has been sacked by Chelsea after a meeting with the club’s hierarchy Thursday.

“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”, Chelsea said in a statement.

They face Paris St-Germain in the last 16 of the Champions League.

The club have not announced a replacement but the rumour mills have been sent into overdrive. He was brought back in 2013 by owner Roman Abramovich.

An interim coach is a more likely route at this stage with the club’s favourite targets all tied up elsewhere.

The former Netherlands coach Guus Hiddink is understood to be among the possible candidates to take over in the short term. The 42-year-old physio, who left Stamford Bridge in September and is still involved in a legal case with the club, was branded “naive” by Mourinho for running onto the pitch to treat Eden Hazard in the final stages of the 2-2 draw with Swansea City on the opening day of the season, and subsequently saw her role downgraded. Mourinho expressed his concern over how most of his top players have failed to perform under him this ongoing season.

Spaniard Juande Ramos has been mentioned, although he would be a potentially unpopular choice for fans after his disastrous reign in charge of London rivals Tottenham six years ago.

The former Notts County defender not only refused to state the former Real Madrid chief’s name, he also insisted the players were not to blame for the Portuguese boss’ exit.