09 October 2023 , 17:47
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Jose Mourinho has claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo’s transfer to Saudi Arabia earlier this year has inspired him to move to the Middle Eastern nation later in his career.
Roma boss Mourinho claims to have received the "biggest and craziest offer" in managerial history, which reportedly came from Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal - the club Neymar plays for. However, it was Ronaldo’s move to Al-Nassr in January that has driven Mourinho’s future plans.
Mourinho has achieved success during his two-year spell at Roma – winning the Europa Conference League in his first season and reaching the Europa League final in his second – but underwhelming domestic form has seen his future in the Italian capital come under scrutiny.
Ronaldo’s switch to Riyadh, coming two months after his mutual exit from Manchester United, preceded a long list of European-based stars moving to Saudi in the summer – including Neymar, Ruben Neves, Edouard Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, Fabinho, and Jordan Henderson, among many others.
Mourinho joined the board of directors of Saudi Arabia's Mahd Sports Academy earlier this year, but he has now spoken about his desire to move to the nation to continue his management career – although he is not yet done in Rome.
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"During the holidays, I received the biggest and craziest offer a coach has ever received in the history of football," Mourinho said earlier this month. "And I turned it down. I did so because I'd given my word to my players, I'd given my word to the fans and I'd given my word to the club owner."
However, the Portuguese boss has subsequently spoken to MBC Egypt TV channel – which is owned by 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 convinced that I will work there.
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Cristiano Ronaldo joined Saudi club Al-Nassr in January (Getty Images)"I don't know when, but I am pretty sure of it. No one knows the future, but I will definitely do this [working in Saudi Arabia]. Doors are always open for me in Saudi Arabia. I want to feel the development there."
Mourinho then continued that it was move of Ronaldo in January to the Middle Eastern nation that gave him the inspiration to consider his own future in moving out to Saudi, when he may have previously been sceptical amid others not making the move away from Europe. "Cristiano was the first to go there and give a different perspective immediately," the boss added.
"The players thought at first that it was a one-man show but they realised in the summer that everything was really changing. Many players, not just at the last period of their careers, but also some players at the best years of their careers, are coming because the competition is real, not just at domestic League, but also the AFC Champions League is very interesting."