Jose Mourinho is on the verge of taking up the managerial position at Fenerbahce, but he has not abandoned his greatest ambition.
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The Portuguese coach is understood to have signed a two-year contract to manage the Turkish Super Lig side.
However, Mourinho has reportedly requested a unique clause in his contract that would allow him to pursue a special dream. This clause would give him the freedom to leave Fenerbahce under certain circumstances.
Mourinho has been out of management since January 2024, after being dismissed by Italian club Roma halfway through a poor campaign. His new contract with Fenerbahce marks his return to the dugout after nearly six months out of work.
Despite his decorated career as a club manager, Mourinho has never coached on the international stage. According to Italian outlet Calcio Mercato, Mourinho wants to ensure he has the chance to coach the Portuguese national team should the opportunity arise.
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Mourinho revealed to journalist Fabrizio Romano that he had previously received two offers to take charge of Portugal. One came during his time at Real Madrid, where Bernabeu president Florentino Perez shut down the move, and the second was during his tenure at Roma, which he also declined.
Mourinho admitted to CNN Romania that turning down the Portugal job was a decision he now regrets. “It was a hard decision,” he said about choosing Roma over Portugal in 2021. “And wrong, maybe. I think so.”
Mourinho’s management portfolio includes stints at Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Tottenham. At 61, he now views the Portuguese job as the crowning jewel of his career, and it appears he would accept the position if offered a third time.
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