Chelsea, manager Jose Mourinho agree to part ways by mutual consent
Jose Mourinho's time as Chelsea manager has officially come to an end.
Chelsea confirmed that it has parted ways with Mourinho by mutual consent following the team's poor start to its title defence.
The club did not immediately announce who will replace Mourinho.
Chelsea, in a statement, confessed that the team's performance has "not been good enough" and stressed that the separation occurred under amicable circumstances.
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.
Dan Roan of the BBC reports that the decision to dismiss the Portuguese manager was made during a meeting with the team's hierarchy. He adds that Mourinho will not be paid the reported £40-million in compensation and that he will instead be paid what's left of his £12 million contract until the end of the season.
Early reports suggest Guus Hiddink will take charge at Chelsea until the end of the season. The Dutch manager - who last managed Netherlands during the country's failed bid to qualify for the 2016 European Championship - previously served as caretaker manager with the Blues in 2009.
Related - Report: Guus Hiddink to take over as Chelsea boss until end of the season
The club said it would not comment any further until a new manager has been appointed, and has cancelled its pre-match press conference Friday ahead of Saturday's match against Sunderland.
The dismissal comes less than a year after Chelsea won its third title with Mourinho, and its first since 2010.
A miserable start to the season, however, culminated Monday with yet another disappointing defeat when Chelsea found itself on the wrong end of a 2-1 result against table-toppers Leicester City.
The defeat was Chelsea's ninth of the season, a total that equals the team's amount from its last two seasons combined.
(Courtesy: ESPNFC)
Mourinho - who reunited with Chelsea in 2013 after his first stint ended in 2007 - becomes the third manager in the last four seasons to get sacked from a team defending its title. Roberto Mancini (Manchester City), David Moyes (Manchester United) were the previous two managers to lose their jobs less than a year after hoisting the Premier League trophy.