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If Jose Mourinho’s football had been as dramatic and exciting as the manner of his departure, he would still be manager of Chelsea this morning

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Avram Grant has been appointed Chelsea manager after Jose Mourinho left the club by mutual consent last night.

Chelsea have said that the relationship between Mourinho and the club had broken down and the situation was beginning to affect performances on the pitch.

"Early this morning we announced that Chelsea and José Mourinho had agreed to part company by mutual consent. The key phrase here is that there was mutual agreement. José did not resign and he was not sacked," the club said in a statement released this evening.

"What is clear, though, is we had all reached a point where the relationship between the club and José had broken down. This was despite genuine attempts over several months by all parties to resolve certain differences.

"The reason the decision has been taken is that we believed the breakdown started to impact on the performance of the team and recent results supported this view. We did not want this to continue or affect the club further."

Mourinho dramatically left Chelsea with immediate effect after a final bust-up with Roman Abramovich. He is understood to have contacted five senior players in the afternoon to tell them that he was leaving, without offering any detailed explanation for his sudden departure.

The club confirmed Mourinho had gone in the early hours of this morning when they posted a statement on their official website. Mourinho went to the club's Cobham training complex this morning to say his final farewells to the players before departing at 11 o'clock. Mourinho's backroom staff have also left the club.

Chelsea have stressed that the Portuguese will always be welcome at Stamford Bridge.

"It is only right that we ... recognise the immense contribution he has made to the club and to English football," the statement continued.

"We also must pay tribute to the great job José did for Chelsea. He has been the most successful manager the club has known and he rightly deserves that place in our history. José has been instrumental in putting Chelsea where it is today, among the leading clubs in European and world football.

"He will always be welcome at Stamford Bridge, whether as the guest of Chelsea or as the manager of another club, and he will be given the reception and respect his position in our history deserves."

Grant will have a difficult start to his reign at Stamford Bridge - his first match is a trip to Old Trafford on Sunday to take on Manchester United. Steve Clarke, Mourinho's right-hand man during his time at Chelsea, will remain as assistant manager.

The club released the following statement this morning: "The club is delighted that in Avram we have an experienced man who can come in immediately at this difficult time to help deliver our objectives.

"In Steve we have a Chelsea man and he will be a crucial part of the management team going forward.

"Avram and Steve have our full confidence and support."

Grant and Clarke oversaw their first training session together this morning, with a statement from the club saying, "The pair, who have been appointed by the club's board, led a training session which included Wayne Bridge, back on the road to recovery.

"The session was sharp, with the players in buoyant mood, despite the disappointment of Tuesday's 1-1 draw with Rosenborg in the Champions League."

Grant moved to Chelsea in the summer despite stiff opposition from Mourinho. Abramovich identified the Israeli as the man to get the best out of misfiring striker Andriy Shevchenko and Mourinho finally agreed to his arrival on the understanding that he had no influence on team affairs.

He spent his first year in England living in Harry Redknapp’s shadow at Portsmouth but at Chelsea he became the co-ordinator of long-term strategy, reporting to chief executive Peter Kenyon. The lucrative role also included a seat on the club’s board.

Grant took up the position of technical director at Portsmouth in June 2006 and soon won Redknapp's praise.

“I’ve found him to be very knowledgeable, an absolute gentleman and a nice person to have at the club - he has got a good knowledge of the game and of foreign players,” he said.

That knowledge stems from a lifetime of studying football tactics and systems. Grant began coaching at the age of 19 having never played the game professionally.

He won the youth championship with Hapoel Petach Tikva and was then appointed to coach the senior team, becoming the youngest ever manager in the Israeli top division.

Grant then moved to Maccabi Tel Aviv, guiding the club to a first league title in 13 years, before taking over at the helm of Israel’s glamour club, Maccabi Haifa, where he won two championships.

The national team subsequently beckoned and Grant entered the history books as Israel’s youngest manager.

His record split opinion, however, as Israel failed to qualify for the 2006 World Cup despite remaining unbeaten in a group with the Republic of Ireland, France and Switzerland.

He resigned in November 2005 because of the Israeli FA’s reluctance to open contract talks.