Real Madrid have refuted claims Jose Mourinho signed a contract to take over at the club before he left Inter.

Mourinho, now the Manchester United manager, led Inter to a Serie A, Coppa Italia and Champions League treble in 2009-10 before assuming control at the Santiago Bernabeu.

A report in Spanish publication AS has suggested Mourinho penned an agreement to become Madrid boss on March 31, 2010.

But Madrid have emphatically rejected those allegations, issuing a statement that read: "Following the publication in today's [Thursday] AS newspaper of information concerning the signing of Jose Mourinho as the manager of our club, Real Madrid C.F. wishes to emphasise that said information is entirely false.

"Real Madrid and Jose Mourinho did not sign any contract on the 31st of March 2010 for him to take over the role of coach, as is wrongly asserted by the aforementioned newspaper.

"This contract was signed by both parties precisely two months after the alleged date, on the 31st of May 2010. 

"Therefore, any statements or value judgements made by the cited publication in regard to this false information lack any basis and have no other objective than to damage the image of Real Madrid and its president, just as is becoming the norm for this particular media outlet."

Mourinho led Madrid to the Liga title in 2011-12, before first returning to Chelsea and then taking over at Old Trafford last year.