Mancini sacked by Inter

Mancini, 43, who coached Inter to three successive titles, is favoured to take over at Barclays Premier League club Chelsea.

Inter, who won the first of their three successive titles in 2006 only because the clubs who finished above them were either demoted or deducted points in the match-fixing scandal, released a terse statement about his sacking.

"Inter Milan informed Roberto Mancini that he had been relieved of his role as coach of the team, especially because of his comments that he was not going to stay after the end of the season following the Inter Milan v Liverpool Champions League match on March 11," the statement read.

Mancini, however, had rescinded those comments the following day declaring that he had made them in the heat of the moment following Inter`s elimination from the UEFA Champions League in humiliating fashion - losing 3-0 on aggregate.

However, lending less credibility to Inter`s reason for sacking Mancini are the comments by club president Massimo Moratti when he announced that the coach had changed his mind about leaving at the end of the season.

"I`ve had a talk with Mancini, who confirmed to me that he wanted to stay at Inter even next year and to see out his contract and he wants to win the Champions League next season," Moratti was quoted as saying by La Gazzetta dello Sport on March 12.

"Mancini`s words surprised me, I didn`t expect it and even less so I believe the people close to him."

Mourinho, nicknamed "Special One" after guiding Porto to the UEFA Champions League title in 2004 and then Chelsea to two premiership titles, will not come cheap.

The exit of Mancini has cost Inter dear, too, as his contract, which runs till 2012, will leave him €24 million ($39 million) richer as compensation.

Inter may claim, however, that he is in the wrong for his rash words following the Liverpool match.

Mourinho has been out of work since he was sacked by Chelsea last September.