Portugal centre-back Carvalho, 30, has been linked with a move to Internazionale to rejoin former Blues and Porto boss Jose Mourinho. Grant was sacked less than a year after succeeding Mourinho despite leading Chelsea to the final of the Champions League and pushing Manchester United all the way in the Premier League title race.

Carvalho told the Sunday Times: "Avram did a great job, but they still decided to sack him. Yet after Jose Mourinho left, he picked up the team and got good results."

He added: "It was very cruel. He did a great job and he could have carried on, but they decided to let him go. It was very ruthless.

"The new manager will be my third in a year, and in football you need stability if you want to be successful."

Chelsea's appointment of Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari as Grant's successor is likely to be a factor in Carvalho's future plans and he insists he has not spoken to Mourinho.

"There has been a lot of talk about the new manager and players coming and going," he added.

"I know there are stories about me, too, and in football you never know what can happen.

"But I have a contract at Chelsea and I have not spoken to Jose Mourinho about Inter, or to my agent (Jorge Mendes) about a move."