I'm free! Chelsea can resign Jose Mourinho without paying Real Madrid a penny in compensation
I'm free! Chelsea can resign Jose Mourinho without paying Real Madrid a penny in compensation
Stamford Bridge legend set to return to the club next month after striking a deal with Spanish giants over £17m release clause
Happy days: Mourinho's exit from Real Madrid has been confirmed
Getty
Real Madrid have waived Jose Mourinho’s Bernabeu release clause – clearing the Special One to return to Chelsea on a free.
Mourinho
and the Spanish giants have been locked in dispute for months over the
£17million clause in a contract that still has two years to run.
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich had baulked at meeting Real’s demands, leading to an impasse that threatened the Portuguese’s long predicted 'homecoming' at the West London club.
But, on Monday night, Real president Florentino Perez confirmed: “We’ve decided to bring our relationship to an end at the end of the current season.
“The club and manager agree the timing is right to bring our relationship to an end.
“On
behalf of the board of directors, I would like to thank Jose Mourinho
for all his hard work. The team have improved in his three years and we
wish him all the best.
“With Mourinho, we made a big leap competitively and sporting wise. Today Madrid is where it ought to be.
“We had not reached that level prior to his arrival, so the balance of his stay here was positive. Adios: Real's Florentino Perez shocks the word with his news
AP
“We have no pre-contract signed with any managerial candidate. It’s something we’ll have to look at in the coming days.”
Last
week's move by Real for Paris Saint-Germain boss Carlo Ancelotti, which
saw the former Chelsea manager’s resignation rejected by the French
champions, gave Mourinho and his representatives the upper hand.
It means the new Europa League champions
will not have to pay Real for the 50-year-old, who in turn will not
press his claims for the last two years of his existing deal to be paid
up. Wish granted: Chelsea fans fly the flag for Jose at the Europa League Final
Michael Regan/Getty
Now that a clean break has been agreed, it seems likely that
Chelsea’s plan to unveil Mourinho for a second time - nine years after
the first - at the start of June will come to pass. As we reported two weeks ago,
former Blackburn boss Steve Kean, who speaks Portuguese, is poised to
be named as Mourinho’s new assistant, taking the role performed by
fellow Scot Steve Clarke from 2004.
The early conclusion to negotiations will also allow Mourinho and the Chelsea board to get cracking on their transfer targets.
The Blues are aiming to revitalise their strike-force with one of Atletico Madrid’s Radamel Falcao, Robert Lewandowski of Borussia Dortmund and Napoli star Edinson Cavani.
Falcao, however,looks set to sign for French side Monaco and Poland international Lewandowski striker appears set to stay in Germany with Bayern Munich, leaving Chelsea fighting Manchester City and PSG for Cavani.
Monday saw Atletico general manager Miguel Angel Gil Marin
hint at an imminent departure for his star man, as he said: “Before the
start of the season we talked with Falcao and promised him if he helped
us reach the Champions League [Atletico are assured of third place in La
Liga], we would help him.
“Every decision he will take, Atletico
will be with him. We know how to change good strikers. You can be sure
Atletico will have a strong team next season.”
* PETR CECH has urged the Chelsea board not to waste time and make the appointment that can help the Blues recapture the title.
Monday’s
confirmation of Jose Mourinho’s imminent departure from Real Madrid
opens the door for the Special One to come back “home”.
And
the Czech keeper, one of the survivors from Mourinho’s first incarnation
as Chelsea chief, believes that getting things right in the next few
weeks will sow the seeds for success next term.
He
said: “If you have a bad summer it can have consequences for the whole
season. We will have a new manager and have to prepare for the coming
season.
“It is important if you can give the new manager the time
to prepare things. The earlier he can be here, he can start work on
things and not leave it for the last moment.
“A change of the manager in our club is not a problem either because we know how it is!”
Cech,
who celebrated his 31st birthday on Monday, added: “Next season will be
my 10th at the club. Hopefully it will be my best ever.”
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