Jose Mourinho has been given the opportunity to take the reins at oil-rich Monaco, the Daily Mirror has reported, threatening any hopes Chelsea had of returning the current Real Madrid coach to his former post at Stamford Bridge.
Monaco owner Dmitry Rybolovlev has already been in contact with Mourinho’s advisers, including agent Jorge Mendes, giving a presentation for the Portuguese on his plans for the principality club.
Mourinho is said to have set a price of £12m per season to return to Chelsea and Rybolovlev is capable of paying that sort of money – indeed, the newspaper claims he is willing to top any offer from his compatriot Roman Abramovich, the Chelsea owner.
Monaco have also been linked with a move for Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini, and are currently led by Claudio Ranieri, who, ironically, was also Mourinho’s predecessor at Chelsea.
Currently top of the French second division – Ligue 2 – Monaco are understood to be willing to lavish money on transfers in order to build a side capable of competing both at home and on the continent, perhaps rivalling fellow wealthy club Paris Saint-Germain.
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