Jose Mourinho may not be heading back to England anytime soon but the Portuguese icon has previously outlined what it could take to see him manage on these shores once again
Jose Mourinho being unveiled at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge
Jose Mourinho first arrived in the Premier League back in 2004
Jose Mourinho may be a Premier League legend but he's decided that his next job will not bring him back to these shores. The Portuguese icon is now closing in on a return to Benfica, but he has previously highlighted two conditions that could see manage in the English top-flight again one day.
After just over a season with Turkish giants Fenerbahce, Mourinho was sacked in late August and found himself back in the market for a job.
Reports in Portugal now say he is set to return to Estadio da Luz, the place were top-flight management began for him. His impending appointment came after Benfica coach Bruno Lage was sacked following the club's shock loss in the Champions League to Qarabag this week.
Mourinho, 62, made an instant impact upon arriving in English football after he won the Premier League with Chelsea in the 2004/2005 season. This came off the back of a stunning Champions League triumph with Porto a season earlier.
A second spell with the Blues, a marginally successful time at Manchester United and a stint at Spurs followed. Mourinho's love affair with the English game has often seen him touted to return to the UK, and he once claimed he would like to manage a team in the Premier League who are not involved in a European competition as well as one that's based in London.
Mourinho fell foul of UEFA officials in a Europa League clash against United, while operating as Fenerbahce coach, in October 2024. After he was sent to the stands by the referee, the 62-year-old hinted at a return to England.
Firing a barb in the direction of UEFA, his tongue-in-cheek remarks didn't stop the rumour mill from churning with clubs such as West Ham and Nottingham Forest rumoured to be circling Mourinho at the time.
"I think the best thing I have to do is, when I leave Fenerbahce, I go to a club that does not play UEFA competitions," Mourinho said. "If any club in England from the bottom of the table needs a coach in two years, I am ready to go."
Jose Mourinho, former manager of Chelsea celebrates the Premier League title
Jose Mourinho won the title in his maiden season with Chelsea
However, he later clarified his stance. While he couldn't foresee himself battling it out at the foot of the table, insisting that only "brave guys" take on such jobs in the Premier League, he did reveal his enormous soft spot for London.
“I had three clubs in England, Chelsea twice, so in four different periods I’ve coached in England and I loved it," Mourinho said in October 2024.
“I’ve been so, so lucky to live in beautiful countries and beautiful cities like Istanbul, Rome, Madrid, Milan but my family lives in London. London is home so one day I want to be back, unless nobody wants me."
The self-styled 'special one' and his entanglement with the Premier League saw him win three titles, three League Cups and an FA Cup with Chelsea over two stints. He also won the League Cup and Europa League with United after signing on with the Red Devils in 2016.
A spell with Tottenham Hotspur followed in November 2019. While he didn't win silverware with Spurs he did guide them to the League Cup final, only to be sacked before the game itself.
Jose Mourinho celebrates with the Europa League trophy
Jose Mourinho won the Europa League with Manchester United in 2017
Outside of the UK, Mourinho won the treble, including the Champions League, with Inter Milan in 2010. A spell with Real Madrid from 2010-2013 wielded a La Liga title and a Copa del Rey.
He made his way back to Italy with Roma in 2021 where he won the UEFA Europa Conference League. He also reached the Europa League final with the Serie A giants a season later.
Mourinho is now expected to sign on with Benfica, taking him back to work in his home nation for the first time since 2004. However, it's fair to say that the door that could bring the enigmatic coach back to the Premier League someday is not closed just yet.
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice..
Content Image
Content Image