Roberto Mancini's agent says his client has been forced out as manager of Inter Milan and is being replaced by Jose Mourinho.

Giorgio De Giorgis' claims will increase speculation that Mancini, who led Inter to a third consecutive Serie A title a fortnight ago, could replace Avram Grant as Chelsea manager.

"Roberto never expected it to end like this," De Giorgis said. "As an outsider, I could rationally understand that something was not right, but that is the way things have gone."

De Giorgis said Mancini was upset by his departure, even though he had a turbulent season and was persuaded to withdraw his resignation by Massimo Moratti, the club president, in March after Liverpool knocked Inter out of the Champions League.

"Roberto is very disappointed also because he has not yet finished his job," De Giorgis said. "He wanted to try and win even more league titles, and maybe even the Champions League. Now Mourinho will arrive and he has only got to repeat what has happened in the last few years.

"Roberto is considering making a statement to avoid gossip and it should be a statement praising the president and those who worked with him. He is shocked and has taken it badly. I have spoken with him and he sounded quite down, but tomorrow will be even worse.

"Roberto has a great quality of being a good person so he has never given his availability to anybody else and has always done his job. These last three months have been very testing and the press have not been fair towards Inter.

"The club maybe let things get carried away, destabilising the atmosphere with all this gossip. But he always felt a lot for Inter and, to try and lift him, I told him that maybe he will be able to get back the ten years he has lost in Milan.

"He thought he would have a month of holiday before returning to Inter. Maybe now it will be a bit longer, but I hope somebody calls him [with a job offer] as early as tomorrow. It is never good to be out of work as a coach."

Inter have not commented on the situation, but reports in Italy suggested Mourinho's appointment could be announced today. Grant was sacked by Chelsea on Sunday.