Exclusive: Jose Mourinho makes clear plan to become next England boss with decision made on Roma future
Roma manager Jose Mourinho is in contention for the England job
The FA are drawing up a list of successors for Gareth Southgate with the current England manager set to leave his role after the European Championships next summer.
Jose Mourinho is open to a conversation with the FA once he leaves his current job at Roma, with sources in Italy stating that the coach is set to depart the Stadio Olimpico at the end of the season when his contract expires. Antonio Conte is the current favourite to replace him.
That scenario would leave Mourinho free to pick his next employers with no need for any team to buy him out of his Roma contract.
That is tempting to English football chiefs, who have previously considered Mourinho for the top job. In December 2007, Mourinho was given the opportunity to take charge of England but rejected it as he was still in his pomp at club management.
The legendary coach is now 60 years old and sources close to the Special One suggest he would be interested in trying his hand at winning a trophy at international level. It’s also believed that he would consider only two countries, one of those being England and the other his homeland of Portugal.
Gareth Southgate is currently on £5m a year with England while Mourinho earns a £7.5m annual wage at Roma.
There are bigger offers on the table for Mourinho, with the calls from Saudi Arabia never far away but he has declined that chance previously and isn’t overly tempted to move to the Middle East at this stage of his career.
Sources say he would be keen to keep his family in Europe. However, when the Saudi Pro League wants someone, it’s well known that they are willing to pay whatever is needed.
Could Mourinho guide England to World Cup glory?
If England are looking for the right person to help them reach the pinnacle of international football and lift the World Cup in 2026 there may not be a better candidate than the former FIFA World Coach of the Year.
As far as CVs go, Mourinho has 26 titles to his name, including two Champions Leagues and three Premier Leagues, and has shown he has what it takes to take a team to the very end of the biggest competitions.
It has not been plain sailing for Mourinho in Rome with criticism coming his way for the club’s inconsistent league form.
The Italian giants have started poorly this season and find themselves down in a lowly 10th position in the Serie A table.
Mourinho has also aimed barbs towards the Giallorossi hierarchy for a perceived lack of investment in the side which, at times, has left him with very few senior players to choose from and a need to use some of the club’s youngsters.
Despite incredible scenes when he was leading Roma to the Europa Conference League final in 2022 and the final of the Europa League earlier this year, fans are concerned that the club are falling behind in the race for Champions League qualification. Mourinho, in response, has claimed there is “Anti-Mourinhoism” at play in the city of Rome.
The search for a successor to Southgate is on and next summer could see the return of Mourinho to England, this time to the biggest job in the country.
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe also makes the FA shortlist but sources believe it is too early for him to dive into the international fold after steering the Magpies into the Champions League last season.
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