José Mourinho: no deal agreed with Man United but I will be back

José Mourinho has reiterated his desire to return to management in the summer.

The Portuguese has been out of work since being sacked by Chelsea for a second time in December, and has been persistently linked with Manchester United.

Louis van Gaal remains in position at Old Trafford and there has been no comment from the club to suggest that will change, but the Mourinho rumours persist.

However, Mourinho — who has turned down an offer to coach the Syrian national side — says he is ready to come back in the summer.

Speaking to Sky Sports News at the Anthony Joshua-Charles Martin fight, he said: “(Van Gaal) is my friend, I worked with him for a few years. I am always linked with jobs and in the summer I will have a job, but in this moment I can promise you I do not have a contract with any club.”

On the approach from Syria, he said: “They (The Syrian FA) published (the offer) on their website the letter they sent to my agent. That one I have to say is true, but I have to say in a very special way we said we were not interested in the job.

“I have made this exception to speak with you (the media) because I didn’t speak for a long time, but I am going back to the same position. The only thing I can say is I don’t have a contract with any club but in the summer I will be back.”

Mourinho’s second Chelsea departure came after a terrible start to the defence of their title — the third Barclays Premier League crown won by Mourinho.

He has been linked with jobs all around the world since leaving Chelsea, but says he would prefer to return to work in England.

The 53-year-old added: “I am not in position to turn down (jobs). I am in a position to analyse, this is April, everything starts in July, every decision is made between May and the start of June.

“I am not in a position to deny, I am open to any club, national team, but I have to be honest, if possible, a club.

“I would prefer (to stay England). I love the country, the football here, my family is very stable and happy.”

The former Real Madrid boss also said he would like the man he originally replaced at Chelsea, Claudio Ranieri, to succeed him in lifting the Premier League trophy with Leicester.

“When Prince William is saying he would love Leicester to win it, I am nobody to say anything,” Mourinho added. “I think his (Ranieri’s) career deserves that. He is a good man who I respect. In spite of bad words, he knows I like him very much and I would like him to win.

“But I like Mauricio (Pochettino), I have a great relationship with him and his work at Tottenham is very good. Let’s go for the simple one, the one with more points deserves to win.”