Roberto Mancini's agent on Wednesday confirmed his client had been sacked as Inter coach and ex-Chelsea boss Jose' Mourinho was on the way in.
''Unfortunately, it's happened,'' Giorgo De Giorgis told Sky television, confirming widespread reports sparked by a meeting between Mancini and club owner Massimo Moratti Tuesday night.
Asked if Mancini had been expecting the boot, a week after winning his third straight Serie A title, De Giorgis replied: ''No, he certainly wasn't''.
De Giorgis added that Moratti would have to honour Mancini's contract with Inter, which was recently renewed until 2012.
Speculation over Mancini's future has been rife since Inter's Champions League elimination by Liverpool in March when the coach unexpectedly said he was planning to leave the club at the end of the season.
Mancini's quick U-turn did little to stop the rumours.
Portuguese news reports say Mourinho has already signed a three-year contract and has been learning Italian for months.
Mancini joined Inter from Lazio in 2004 and became the club's most successful coach in the last 30 years with two Italian Cups and two Supercups as well as the three scudetti.
But he never managed to translate Inter's domestic success into European glory.
