Jose Mourinho, dream candidate for Saudi champions Al Etihad, has been inspired by Cristiano Ronaldo after parting ways with Nuno Espirito Santo
Jose Mourinho has emerged as a candidate to become permanent manager at the Etihad, with the Roma boss already claiming Cristiano Ronaldo helped convince him to one day move to Saudi Arabia.
Roma coach Mourinho claims to have received the “biggest and craziest offer” in coaching history, reportedly from Al Hilal, the Saudi professional league team where Neymar plays. However, current Saudi champions Al Etihad have a vacancy after Nuno was sacked.
The experienced Portuguese manager guided the club to its first league title in 14 years in May, having already won the Saudi Super Cup. This follows a raft of superstars joining the club as part of a financially backed recruitment drive.
Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante and Fabinho were all high-profile new signings for the Jeddah club, but things haven’t gone to plan this season and the club finished sixth. They are 11 points behind league leaders Al Hilal after 12 games and parted ways with Nuno on Tuesday.
Former Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui is believed to be under consideration, although he intends to stay in England. Mourinho is more open to transfers, although any move would likely have to wait until the summer as Roma are in the middle of the season.
Mourinho spoke of his openness to coaching in Saudi Arabia. He was successful in his two years at Roma – winning the Europa League in his first season and reaching the Europa League final in his second – but poor domestic form put his future in the Italian capital in doubt. Pay close attention.
Ronaldo’s move to Riyadh, two months after exiting Manchester United, follows a long list of European stars set to move to Saudi Arabia this summer, with Mourinho joining the board of Saudi Arabia’s Mahed Sports Academy earlier this year in talks Here’s how the forward inspired his move to the Middle East.
Speak freely! Will Mourinho make a mistake by leaving Europe for Saudi Arabia?? Tell us what you think here.
“During the holidays I had the biggest, craziest offer that a coach has ever received in the history of football,” Mourinho said in September. “I refused. I did it because I made a promise to my players, I made a commitment to the fans and I made a commitment to the club owners.”
However, the Portuguese boss later gave an interview to MBC Egypt TV channel, owned by the Saudi MBC Group, in which he outlined his desire to move to Saudi Arabia in the future: “I will go to Saudi Arabia in some free time, but I am sure that I Will work there.
“I don’t know when, but I’m sure. No one knows the future, but I will definitely do it (work in Saudi Arabia). The doors of Saudi Arabia are always open for me. I want to feel what’s going on there.”
Mourinho then went on to say that it was Ronaldo’s move to the Middle Eastern country in January that gave him the inspiration to consider his future move to Saudi Arabia, whereas he may have previously been skeptical about others not leaving Europe. “Cristiano was the first one to go there and immediately offer a different point of view,” the boss added.
“The players thought it was a one-man show at first, but they realized in the summer that everything was really changing. A lot of players, not just at the end of their careers, but some in the best years of their careers.” , we come because the game is real, not only the domestic league, the AFC Champions League is also interesting. “
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