Jose Mourinho has been appointed coach of Inter Milan for the next three years, the Italian champion said yesterday.

Former Chelsea and Porto boss Mourinho succeeds Roberto Mancini, whose dismissal was confirmed on Thursday, 11 days after he led the side to their third consecutive Serie A title.

"FC Internazionale announce the arrival of Jose Mourinho," read a statement on the club's Website (www.inter.it). "The Portuguese coach has signed a three-year contract."

The statement gave no financial details of the deal. La Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper reported that the coach would earn 9 million euros a season.

Mourinho had been out of work since September, when he left Chelsea after his relationship with club owner Roman Abramovich broke down. He led the London club to the Premier League title in 2005 and 2006 and inspired Porto to UEFA Cup and Champions League glory in 2003 and 2004.

Chelsea midfielders Frank Lampard and Michael Essien and Barcelona duo Deco and Samuel Eto'o are among the transfer targets Mourinho wants his new club to aim for.

The club also thanked Mancini belatedly for his work over the last four years, something Thursday's statement announcing his dismissal failed to do.

Elsewhere, Sven-Goran Eriksson left Manchester City yesterday, less than a year after taking over as coach of the Premier League club. City said the 60-year-old Swede had parted company with the club by mutual consent.

Former Manchester United striker Mark Hughes is favorite to replace Eriksson after Blackburn Rovers confirmed that it had given permission for its manager to talk to City about the vacant post.

Despite steering City to a creditable ninth place in the Premier League, the former Benfica, Lazio and England coach had come under pressure from Thai owner Thaksin Shinawatra. His last competitive game in charge was an 1-8 humiliation at Middlesbrough on the last day of the season but despite that result Eriksson remained popular with the fans.

"I have enjoyed my time at Manchester City very much indeed and in particular, I would like to thank the fans, players and staff for their amazing support over the season," Eriksson said.

(Agencies via Shanghai Daily June 3, 2008)