London, Sept.20 : Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has reportedly quit the football club, citing excessive pressure from the club's Russian billionaire owner Roman Abramovich.

According to The Daily Mail, Mourinho sent text messages to five senior players informing them about his decision to quit after three years on the job. He is probably the first coach of an English football club to use SMS to quit.

Although Mourinho won the Premier League twice, Abramovich pumped 400-million pounds into the club and wanted more success in the European Champions' League.

It is believed that a humiliating draw at home with Norwegian minnows Rosenberg on Tuesday signalled Mourinho's end as coach of Chelsea.

Last night, sources speculated that the Chelsea boss had been sacked.

Mourinho caught Chelsea's hierarchy by surprise after the premiere of the club's documentary Blue Revolution, by demanding talks at Stamford Bridge over his future.

Those talks went on late into last night, but his players were under the impression that the 1-1 draw against Rosenborg was his last match in charge.

The Chelsea manager told his players that he would report to the training ground as usual today, but it will be only to say goodbye after just over three years at the club.

Mourinho still has three years left on a contract worth a staggering 6.5 million pounds a year, but Abramovich is prepared to pay up a huge proportion of that.

At the time he signed the deal, Mourinho said: "My heart is with Chelsea and the fantastic group of players that I have but the vision of the owner and the board for the future of Chelsea is also one I want to be a part of it.

Mourinho's decision to leave Stamford Bridge after three years at the club comes just two days before they travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester United in the Premier League in one of the biggest games of the season. (With inputs from ANI)