The Italian’s long-awaited departure was confirmed yesterday, freeing the west London club, and billionaire owner Roman Abramovich, to complete a deal to bring in the man who last week guided Porto to Champions League glory.

Ranieri’s representatives are still in discussions with Chelsea concerning the settlement of the remainder of his contract, believed to be in excess of £6m (€9m).

And it is this apparent ’haggling’ over paying the Italian what he is due which rankles with the man who sold Chelsea to Abramovich earlier this year.

“Whatever happens I think the fans will be disappointed, if not disgusted, with the way he has been treated,” said Bates in an interview with BBC News 24 outside Stamford Bridge this evening.

“You say ’you have got to go, sorry about that, but thank you and here is your cheque’.

“You don’t say ’You have got to go, now we will haggle over what we owe you.’

“They might do that sort of thing in Russia, but they shouldn’t do it in England.”

He added: “Chelsea are now coming over as a club without honour, which is a terrible position to be in.

“I have sacked managers in my time, all chairman do, but I always honoured the contracts.”

Bates maintains Ranieri, whom he appointed to take over from Gianluca Vialli, performed a minor miracle this season given all the external pressure.

“I have no opinion on the choice, I know nothing about it. I would have kept Ranieri,” declared Bates.

“After all, somebody who gets you second in the league and into the European Cup semi-finals with so much turbulence, background pressure and public disloyalty, has had a magnificent season.”

He reflected: “The fans are very fickle – win the first 10 games and it will be ’Claudio who?’, if they have a bad run it will be ’why did they get rid of Ranieri?”’

Mourinho, meanwhile, arrived at Heathrow Airport with his family this morning, before heading off with Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon to finalise the contractual details of his appointment.

The Portuguese coach had already given Chelsea his word he would join them on a highly-lucrative, four-year contract, reported to be in the region of £100,000 (€150,000) a week.

A severance package would appear to have also been agreed with Porto, with whom the 41-year-old won not only the Champions League, but also the Portuguese domestic title and last season’s UEFA Cup.

Porto full-back Paulo Ferreira insists he would find any offer to link up with Mourinho in London “difficult to reject”.

He was linked with a move to Chelsea along with team-mates Deco and Costinha, and now joins that pair in speaking out about the prospect of a move.

The 25-year-old said: “I feel good at Porto, but if the possibility to leave arises then it is logical this hypothesis will come about, if it is good for me and for the club.

“The president [of Porto] said I was not for sale, but if the offer is good it will be difficult to refuse.

“All I know [about Mourinho going to Chelsea] is what I’ve read in the newspapers, but I would feel honoured if he wanted me,” he said in the Portuguese press.

“I would be very happy if I could work with Jose Mourinho again after two such fantastic years. Let’s see what happens.”