WHILE Jose Mourinho is expected to be unveiled as the new Internazionale coach withing 48 hours, AC Milan announced yesterday that they had refused to let Carlo Ancelotti take the manager’s job at Chelsea. Adriano Galliani, the Milan vice-president, said that Ancelotti “and another Italian coach” were top of Chelsea’s list, but added: “The English club asked for our permission and naturally everything stopped there.”

The “other Italian coach” is almost certainly Roberto Mancini, sacked by Inter last week after guiding the club to their third successive scudetto. Mourinho, who left Chelsea last September, will become the 12th man put in charge by Inter president Massimo Moratti in the past 13 years. He has been offered a three-year contract and should he fulfil it, he will have outlasted the vast majority of them. Mancini’s departure after four seasons leaves a sourness around the club, with the dismissed manager threatening court action over the reasons given for his departure, but behind them lies the clear rationale for Mourinho’s appointment: he must make Inter achieve in Europe.

Mancini broke a long drought of Serie A success, Inter finishing top of the table in 2007 for the first time in 18 years - they were “awarded” the 2006 title after Juventus were stripped of it because of a refereeing scandal - but it is now a decade since they won a significant European trophy.

Mancini’s days were numbered after Liverpool eliminated them from the 2007-08 Champions League. Moratti had talks with Mourinho days later. The self-styled Special One’s advisers were also contacted by Lyons soon after he left Chelsea, while Bayern Munich and Barcelona, where Mourinho once was an assistant coach, also put out feelers before dropping any interest.

Mourinho’s habit, on joining Porto, with whom he won the Champions League, and Chelsea, where he won two Premier Leagues, was to bring in players he had worked with before. Inter are understood to be willing to fund offers for Chelsea’s Frank Lampard and Deco of Barcelona, who played for Mourinho at Porto.

Inter forwards Hernan Crespo and David Suazo are expected to move on. Luis Figo is out of contract but said last night: “I’m thinking about staying one more year. With Inter, Mourinho can win the Champions League.” Giovanni Trapattoni, former Inter coach now with the Republic of Ireland, said: “The squad is full of internationals, but Mourinho is capable of handling a dressing-room like Inter’s."