(Football News) José Mourinho has been dismissed after a mere two seasons with the club. The Portuguese manager’s contract was originally set to conclude in June, and rumors suggest that Daniele De Rossi is being considered as a caretaker manager for the remainder of the season.

In an official statement, AS Roma declared, “AS Roma can confirm that José Mourinho and his coaching staff will leave the club with immediate effect.” Owners Dan and Ryan Friedkin expressed gratitude to Mourinho for his passion and efforts during his tenure, stating, “We will always have great memories of his time at Roma, but we believe that an immediate change is in the best interests of the club.”

The 60-year-old Mourinho had expressed his desire to extend his contract at Roma just last month. The decision to part ways comes on the heels of Roma’s 1-3 defeat against AC Milan, leaving them in ninth place in the Italian Serie A and facing the prospect of missing the Champions League for a sixth consecutive season. The recent elimination by Lazio in an Italian Cup derby added to the team’s woes.

Despite a bittersweet stint with the club, Mourinho achieved notable success, guiding Roma to the UEFA Conference League title in his first season and reaching the Europa League final in the subsequent season. The UEFA Conference League title in 2022 marked Roma’s first European trophy in over six decades and was Mourinho’s fifth European title. However, his confrontational approach often led to clashes with referees, including a UEFA ban for verbally abusing the Europa League final referee. Mourinho was also suspended for the recent game against Milan due to protests.

Reports in the Italian media suggest that the club’s American ownership is actively pursuing Antonio Conte for the upcoming season.

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