Jose Mourinho back at Inter?! Serie A giants made shock attempt to hire Fenerbahce coach as Simone Inzaghi replacement before agreeing Christian Chivu deal

Inter made a surprising attempt to reappoint Jose Mourinho as head coach after Simone Inzaghi’s departure to Al-Hilal. According to La Repubblica, the Serie A club approached the Portuguese legend, who previously led them to a historic treble in 2010.

The Nerazzurri were forced to act quickly after Inzaghi accepted a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia. With Mourinho under contract until 2026 and earning €6 million (£5m/$7m) per season, the timing and cost proved too difficult. Inter instead moved forward with Chivu, finaliisng a two-year deal.

Chivu was a key part of Mourinho’s iconic treble-winning Inter squad in 2009-10. This appointment brings their story full circle, with the student now stepping into the master’s role on the San Siro sidelines.

The former Parma coach will take over immediately as Inter prepare for the Club World Cup. All eyes will be on whether the former defender can maintain the club’s domestic success while competing globally under immense pressure and with big shoes to fill.