Quiet times for Jose Mourinho Updated for January 2025

Updated: 22nd January 2025

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For the number of controversies surrounding him, sacked Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has maintained a rather low key in recent times. After taking a severance package worth around £17 million, Mourinho has preferred to keep silent about his final days at Old Trafford.

Manchester United started off the 2018-19 season in the worst possible fashion ultimately culminating into the 53-year old Portuguese's sacking.

Benfica Turned Down

There were rumors of an offer from his old club Benfica which he reportedly turned down. In fact, even more strong were rumors surrounding his arrival at the Bernabeu to step into the beleaguered shoes of Santiago Solari who got the boot after Real Madrid's ouster from the Champions League preceded by an abysmal domestic season in which they will go without any silverware for the first time in their illustrious history.

Linked to Lyon

But ex-boss Zinedine Zidane's appointment last week put paid to Mourinho's dream of managing Los Blancos. After having reportedly turned down Benfica, Mourinho was recently linked with Lyon by the French press. Joining the Ligue 1 club would be quite a step down for the multi-title winner Mourinho. In fact, Paris Saint-Germain could have been a more likely destination given manager Thomas Tuchel's shaky situation after the club's early exit from the Champions League. Mourinho had been linked to that post before and the question was put to him by AFP about managing in France.

Latest reports emanating from Paris suggest that PSG's Qatari owners have looked kindly on Tuchel despite the massive Champions League elimination at the hands of Manchester United in as prematurely as the Round of 16.

The Qatar Sports Investments had invested heavily in the likes of Neymar Jr. and Kylian Mbappe in the hope of attaining European glory. But the things that have worked for the 45-year old manager is the club's assured Ligue 1 crown for the 2018-19 season. This was thanks to a 20-point lead over nearest rival Lille and a Coupe de France title on the cards. So much so, a huge pay rise could be coming Tuchel's way on the back of a 12-month contract extension to his existing two-year deal. So, another door closes on Mourinho.

There's no doubt that Mourinho's managerial reputation has taken a hit after his disappointing spell at Old Trafford but his prior track record and ability to win silverware make the veteran Portuguese an attractive bet for many a club management.

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