"Cristiano Ronaldo opened the door" - Jose Mourinho on the possibility of managing in the Saudi Pro League in the future
Jose Mourinho opened up on the possibility of becoming a manager in the Saudi Pro League after his departure from AS Roma in January.
The veteran coach didn't rule out the possibility of moving to Saudi Arabia in the future. He also named Cristiano Ronaldo as the one who 'opened the door' for European players and coaches to consider signing with teams in Saudi Arabia.
The Portuguese manager also revealed that he had offers from teams in Saudi Arabia, but turned them down, as he was committed to Roma.
"Cristiano opened the door in terms of people believing that it is possible for them to play there, to live there, to enjoy the development of football there...When I had the proposal, economically it was important, but I refused because Roma and European football were more important to me...," Jose Mourinho told Fabrizio Romano.
"Becoming coach of a Saudi Pro League club? If you ask me in the future… never say never...I have time until the end of the season to make the right decision for me," he added.
The Portuguese manager remains a free agent, but his target is to return to coaching as early as the coming summer.
"I’m ready to start again. I don’t need to rest or think as usually happens – I’m ready. I feel strong and good, I’m really ready but I don’t want to make the wrong choice. I have to be patient. My objective is to start again next summer," Jose Mourinho told Romano.
Jose Mourinho reveals he can't understand why he left Roma
Jose Mourinho spent three years with Roma (2021-2024) before leaving the club last January. He led the Italians to the UEFA Conference League final in 2022, winning the trophy and the Europa League final in 2023.
The Portuguese manager addressed his departure, revealing that it is still difficult to understand why Roma management moved in that direction.
"It’s difficult to understand how a coach who reaches two European finals in a row gets sacked. That’s the only strange thing about this situation," he told A Bola, via Roma Press.
As for the future, teams like Liverpool, and Bayern Munich could pursue him as they are in search of a new manager. A return to Portugal is also a likely scenario.