Jose Mourinho in talks with Newcastle amid Chelsea links
Jose Mourinho was seen meeting with Newcastle United owner Yasser Al-Rumayyan as he enjoyed the Formula One Saudi Grand Prix in Jeddah last weekend.
The 61-year-old is still jobless having been sacked by Roma in January and has already been linked with a number of positions. Speculation surrounding Newcastle emerged shortly after his dismissal while Saudi side Al-Shabaab are thought to have failed with an approach.
Al-Hilal, Serie A club Napoli and even the Saudi national team have been cast into the speculation frame too. While there have also been reports linking ‘The Special One’ with a sensational return to Stamford Bridge,with Mauricio Pochettino under intense scrutiny following the club’s struggles so far this season.
His recent conversation with Saudi Public Investment Fund chief Al-Rumayyan has further raised eyebrows. Writing in Caught Offside, journalist Ben Jacobs claims that Mourinho’s trip was mainly for the sake of relationship building and ‘due diligence’.
It is thought the former Chelsea boss spoke about a potential move to the gulf state with Turki Al-Sheikh, the head of the Saudi Entertainment Authority who is also behind the recent headline boxing bouts in the country.
Mourinho is also said to have met with Saudi FA president Yasser Al-Misehal and sports minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, who wishes him to be a part of Saudi’s Vision 2030 project ahead of the World Cup there.
The Portuguese manager has previously said he envisages working in Saudi one day and is keen to get back into work soon. Speaking to beIN Sports at the weekend, Mourinho said: “I’m not in a rest, I want to work. I want to work but I just don’t want to have the wrong decision.
“I have to wait for the right one, the one that motivates me. But if I could work tomorrow I would work tomorrow.” Saudi Pro League officials are rumoured to want Mourinho to manage any of the four domestic clubs it owns; Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, Al-Alhi and Al-Ittihad
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