Former Real Madrid and Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has opened the doors for a move to the Saudi Pro League (SPL) as he awaits the next challenge in his illustrious managerial career. Mourinho, a two-time Champions League winner was sacked by Italian side AS Roma in January, after which he is now a free agent. Mourinho, while speaking to popular football journalist Fabrizio Romano opened up on the SPL move while also praising countryman Cristiano Ronaldo for making the league a global platform.
Mourinho to Saudi Pro League
“Cristiano Ronaldo opened the doors to that world in football terms. When the offer came to me it was a very important financial proposal, but I rejected it because Roma and European football were more important to me. In the future, never say never, but at the moment I won’t sign any contract because I have to make the best decision first,” Mourinho said while speaking to Romano.
One of the best football coaches in the world, Mourinho holds the unique distinction of managing three of the ‘big-six’ English sides having taken charge of Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. He has won league titles in Spain, Italy, Portugal and England, so winning is not a new recipe for the Portugal gaffer.
The 61-year-old had to leave Roma in January after a poor string of results saw the club outside Champions League qualification spots. This prompted the board to sack Mourinho, who was in the final year of his contract. During his time at Roma, he helped the club reach two European finals and also helped them win the inaugural Europa Conference League in 2022. His Roma side came second-best to Sevilla in the 2023 Europa League final, therefore missing out on the Champions League qualification.
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SPL to be the next big thing?
The SPL has already been a major market in recent years attracting big players from Europe and other leagues. Currently, former Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema, Neymar, N’Golo Kante, and other top stars are applying their trade in the league. This also includes Alexander Mitrovic, Ruben Neves, and others who took the Premier League by storm.
If Mourinho does move to one of the SPL sides, it will only increase the popularity of the league, and could be a big player in competing with the European league in time to come. However, there are also talks of a potential move to Bayern Munich for the Portuguese gaffer, so will be interesting where he moves in the summer.
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