José Mourinho is close to agreeing a deal to become the new manager of Inter Milan when the Italian season ends this month. The former Chelsea manager has been out of work since he left Stamford Bridge under a cloud last September, but has made no secret of his desire to return to the dugout and the Italian league leaders have identified him as the man who can take the European Cup back to the club for the first time since 1965.

Mourinho has been linked with AC Milan, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Barcelona since he left London, but Inter are confident that they will get their man. Massimo Moratti, the Inter president, met Mourinho last month in Paris and they are believed to have signed a pre-contract agreement that gives the Portuguese an option to replace Roberto Mancini at the San Siro after the end of the season on May 18.

Mourinho discussed his plan for next season with The Times two weeks ago. “It's a good time for me for many reasons,” he said. “They know where I am. They know the kind of clubs I want, the level of challenge I want. When the leagues finish, that's when they make decisions.”

Mancini has become the most successful Inter manager of the past 30 years by leading his team to the title in the past two seasons and although Inter are on course to complete the hat-trick, his employers have doubts about whether he can translate domestic domination into European success.

Mancini has a contract at the San Siro until 2012, but he signalled his intention to resign at the end of the season after his team were knocked out of the Champions League by Liverpool in March, before changing his mind.

Inter are six points clear at the top of Serie A and will take a huge step towards retaining the title if they beat AC Milan on Sunday. Despite the club's domestic success, many supporters have become disillusioned with Mancini and would be glad to see the back of the 43-year-old former Sampdoria and Italy forward. Mancini has a reputation in Milan for being aloof and arrogant and Mourinho will be regarded as a breath of fresh air.

Inter believe that Mourinho had set his heart on managing Barcelona and they decided to make their move when Joan Laporta, the Spanish club's president, indicated privately that he would not employ Mourinho. Barcelona are famous for playing fast, attacking football and Laporta is concerned that Mourinho's safety-first tactics would not uphold the club's proud traditions.

Frank Rijkaard said that he would not resign as the Barcelona coach after his team were knocked out of the Champions League by Manchester United on Tuesday, but Laporta is likely to replace the Dutchman with Josep Guardiola, the former Spain midfield player who is coaching the Barcelona B team.

Mourinho's arrival at the San Siro would lead to fresh speculation linking Chelsea players such as Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard with Inter. Italian newspapers have reported that Inter are preparing a £35 million bid for the pair. Mourinho signed Drogba, the 30-year-old Ivory Coast forward, for a club-record £24 million in July 2004 from Marseilles and the Portuguese regards Lampard as one of the best midfield players in the world.