After many weeks of speculation, Chelsea have officially announced in their website that Jose Mourinho will be their next manager.
Just two days after his last match with Real Madrid, the Portuguese has signed a four-year deal with the Blues.
Chelsea’s official website published the declarations of their chief executive, Ron Gourlay, confirming the signing:
I am delighted to welcome Jose back to Chelsea. His continued success, drive and ambition made him the outstanding candidate.
It is our aim to keep the club moving forward to achieve greater success in the future and Jose is our number one choice as we believe he is the right manager to do just that.
He was and remains a hugely popular figure at the club and everyone here looks forward to working with him again.
Mourinho managed the Londoners from 2004 to 2007. In an interview to Chelsea’s official website, the Portuguese admitted that this period of separation has been good for both:
I am very happy. I have to prepare myself to not to be very emotional at my arrival. It was an easy decision. I met the owner, and in five minutes we decided straight away. I ask him ‘You want me back?’ and he asked ‘Do you want to come back?’, and in a couple of minutes the decision was made.
For me and for the club it was not easy my departure, but if you analise it in a cool way it was fantastic, because I had in my career what I was aiming and Chelsea got important trophies for the history of the club. And now we are back together in a great moment for both. We are ready to marry again and be happy again.
Mourinho left Chelsea in 2007 to join Inter Milan and win the Champions League and the Italian league and cup in just one season.
After that he spent three seasons at Real Madrid, winning one La Liga title, one Copa del Rey, one Supercopa and reaching the semifinals of the Champions League three times.
