By MARK IRWIN
ROMAN ABRAMOVICH has told Jose Mourinho he will NOT pay the £17million get-out clause in his Real Madrid contract.
Mourinho’s deal at the Bernabeu still has three years to run after he signed a new £12m-a-year contract last May. And part of the agreement is that a fee of 20m euros will be paid by whichever party breaks the deal.
But the Chelsea owner has made it clear it will not be him who pays it — and that the compensation row must be sorted before the Special One can return to Stamford Bridge.
Now Mourinho must convince his current employers that it will be in everyone’s best interests to allow him to walk away from the Bernabeu for nothing.
The Portuguese boss, 50, is desperate to leave the Spanish giants.
The club are equally keen to see the back of their controversial coach — and are already looking for their next manager.
But he will not quit and Madrid will not fire him because neither wants to pay out.
So Mourinho must convince club president Florentino Perez to call it quits and let him have a dream return to Chelsea without money changing hands.
As things stand, the former Porto boss is now threatening to stay and see out the remaining three years of his contract.
But Chelsea insiders are confident it is just a negotiating tactic and remain convinced he will take over from Rafa Benitez.
