Roma boss Jose Mourinho on Saudi interest: “I think I’ll go there one day”

Roma manager Jose Mourinho has revealed that he would manage in Saudi Arabia someday, but that time may not come anytime soon in his career.

Mourinho was linked with a move to Saudi in the summer and he is said to have previously rejected an approach from a club. Portugal also approached him for a role but he also rejected that attempt, in favour of a stay at the Giallorossi. He was linked with an exit in the summer, but he ended up staying.

Mourinho spoke to Rai 2 (via Di Marzio) recently and he was asked about a host of things and he was asked about whether his future lies in Saudi Arabia.

The Roma boss said: “I’ll tell you the truth, I think I’ll go there one day. But when I say ‘one day’ I don’t mean tomorrow or the day after.”

He was also asked about the Real Madrid job, with Carlo Ancelotti likely to leave Los Blancos at the end of the season. Mourinho said: “Me at Real Madrid? When you have a super coach, why should you think of another? Knowing Don Florentino, and I know him very well, he is a super intelligent man. If he reads the press he has his very clear ideas. As a Madridista, as a man who has some white ribs, and as an Ancelottian, I hope that the season goes fantastically and that next season Carlo is still there, because I think he is the perfect coach for Real Madrid.”

Mourinho also spoke about how proud he feels at handing many young players a platform to succeed in their careers. He said:

“I am moved by this , in my history it has also happened with important players, like Varane who played his first match as a starter in the Champions League for my Real Madrid at the age of 18. But even Santon, Scott McTominay, are different. But here in Roma it was even more so as a result of the situation and the understanding of how important he was for the club at all levels, as seen in the summer in the ‘fight’ with the Financial Fair Play . But it’s not just this, it’s also the sense of belonging of these guys. When I saw the joy of these people, of D’Alessio and Cherubini, there is also a bond that remains.”

Kaustubh Pandey | GIFN