Jose Mourinho fired and replaced by Daniele De Rossi

AS Roma have terminated the contract of Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho with immediate effect, and moved swiftly to bring in club legend Daniele De Rossi as his replacement. AS Roma sit 9th in the league table and recent results have not lived up to expectations for the club, as Lazio defeated Roma in the Coppa Italia quarter-final last week, and following that last weekend AC Milan beat Mourinho's team 3-1.

Jose Mourinho has long been linked with a return to the Premier League, and today Newcastle United are surprise candidates to bring in the former Inter Milan, Chelsea, Tottenham and Man Utd manager. There will be plenty of options on the table for Mourinho, and a move to Saudi Arabia has also been suggested.

De Rossi, who won the World Cup in 2006 for Italy, said of his move to Roma today: "The emotion of being able to sit on our bench is indescribable, everyone knows what Roma is for me, but the work that awaits all of us has already taken over.

"We have no time, no choice. Being competitive, fighting for our goals and trying to achieve them are the only priorities that my staff and I have given ourselves."