Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has reportedly turned down a stunning offer to Chinese Club Guangzhou Evergrande, according to reports. Had the self-proclaimed “special one” accepted the offer, he would have earned £28 million per season as well as bonuses. If he accepted the offer, he would have become the highest-paid manager in history.
Pictures recently emerged of Mourinho meeting with Hui Jiayin, who is the richest man in China. The businessman reportedly presented Mourinho with two offers, one to manage Evergrande and the other to take charge of the Chinese national team.
Had Mourinho taken up the offer, he would also have followed former colleague Rafael Benitez in moving to China. Benitez was recently appointed as the manager of Dalian Yifang after opting to not extend his stay with Newcastle United.
Mourinho is still hungry for success
Mourinho’s last managerial stint ended in humiliation after he was sacked by Manchester United last December. He did manage to lead the Red Devils to the Europa League and League Cup but ultimately failed to re-establish the Red Devils as one of the best clubs in England. The fact that he turned down such a financially lucrative offer indicates that he still wants to manage at the highest level in Europe and challenge for major silverware including the Champions League.
Where will Mourinho manage next?
At this stage, it is really hard to say. He was recently strongly linked with the Newcastle post which was vacated. However, he put paid to the speculation by indicating that he will only manage clubs where he will stand a chance of winning trophies. He told The Coaches Voice: “The only thing that I know is what I don’t want: I am quite pathological in the sense of I have to play to win.
“Then, if I don’t win, then that’s my problem and the players and the club and the structure but I need a project where the feeling is I play to win.
“If somebody gives me a wonderful 10-year contract and the objective of the team is to stay in the first half of the table and if you finish seventh, eighth or ninth, it’s perfect, then that’s not for me. That’s my nature.
“My next (goal) is to fight to win”.
