April 11 – Fans eager to know what the future holds for Portugal’s famed former Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho will have to wait a bit longer.
Mourinho, who has given little hint of his next move since being sacked in December after the club’s worst start to a top-flight campaign, says he has not agreed terms with anyone even though he has been strongly linked with Manchester United.
One of the world’s most controversial and colourful as well as successful coaches, Mourinho showed up at Saturday’s world heavyweight boxing title fight in London and said he was still open to offers with a preference for staying in England.
“At this moment I can promise you that I don’t have a contract with anybody,” he said.
“I’m in a position to be open to any club, to any national team, but to be honest if possible I’d like a club, and analyse and think what’s best for my career and to be back with everything I have.”
The 53-year-old, who has also coached Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Porto, shrugged off speculation about a possible move to United to take over from Louis van Gaal.
“Reports are reports and I made a decision in the beginning … not to feed them, not to confirm, not to deny,” he told Sky Sports.
“If anybody has respect for Mr Van Gaal I’m probably one of the first ones because he’s my friend and I worked with him a few years (as an assistant coach at Barcelona).
“I’m linked with many jobs … in the summer I will have a job,” said Mourinho.
“This is April, everything starts in July. Every decision normally is made between the end of May and the start of June.”
The Portuguese made it clear he would prefer another club in England where his family is settled. “I love the country, I love the football here. My family is very stable and happy. If possible, yes, it (England) would be my first choice,” he said.
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