It’s over between José Mourinho and AS Roma after two-and-a-half years together. The Portuguese boss was relieved of his duties on Tuesday morning, six months before his expected departure at the end of his contract.
Mourinho’s time in the Italian capital appeared perilous when countryman Tiago Pinto lost his job as sporting director recently, while talks of an extension to his deal have been replaced by speculation over a successor.
The 60-year-old leaves Roma having delivered the UEFA Europa Conference League in 2022, while last season saw the Giallorossi beaten heartbreakingly in the final of the Europa League on penalties by Sevilla. This season the team has struggled to recover from the blow, languishing in 9th place despite adding renowned striker Romelu Lukaku during the summer.
“We thank José on behalf of all of us at AS Roma for the passion and commitment he has shown since his arrival at the Giallorossi,” said owners Dan and Ryan Friedkin in a club statement.
“We will always have great memories of his stewardship, but we believe that, in the best interests of the Club, immediate change is necessary.
“We wish José and his staff the best for the future.”
Mourinho’s future will no doubt take up many column inches in sports paper across the world over the coming months. Long-standing speculation of a move to Saudi Arabia will likely intensify, while rumours of interest from the owners of struggling Newcastle United offers the prospect of an intriguing return to the Premier League.
By @SeanGillen9
