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Chelsea have announced that assistant manager Ray Wilkins has left the club.

Wilkins’ contract had been up for renewal, but the club have not offered him new terms and he has left the champions and current league leaders with immediate effect.

Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay said: "On behalf of everyone at the club I would like to thank Ray for everything he has done for Chelsea Football Club.

"We all wish him well for the future."

Wilkins, who played for Chelsea from 1973-79 and captained the club as an 18-year old, rejoined the club as an assistant to Luiz Felipe Scolari in 2007, having previously served under Gianluca Vialli when the Italian was in charge at Stamford Bridge.

The reasons behind Wilkins’ departure are unclear and as yet, there have been no suggestions as to who might replace him as assistant manager to Carlo Ancelotti.