Jose Mourinho breaks silence on Portugal job links as former Man Utd and Chelsea boss delays decision on Fenerbahce future

Mourinho has denied having any contact with the Portuguese Football Federation, despite multiple reports linking him to the national team job. The 62-year-old's first season in Istanbul has been full of controversy, and his future with the Turkish club remains uncertain. While Mourinho denied holding talks to replace Roberto Martínez, he has not ruled out the possibility of staying at Fenerbahce beyond the summer.

Mourinho also revealed that he rejected a team back in January. He guided Fenerbahce to a second-place finish in the 2024–25 Turkish Super Lig, but a crucial loss to Galatasaray has sparked questions about his long-term commitment. A derby defeat to Besiktas only added to the pressure, especially with just one year left on his contract.

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaching, some Portugal fans are dreaming of seeing Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo team up again to lead Portugal to glory. However, reports in the UK suggest that Leeds United and Rangers are keeping an eye on the 'Special One', while Saudi giants Al Hilal, longtime admirers of Mourinho, are also said to be monitoring the situation closely.

Last summer, Mourinho reportedly held talks with Al Qadsiah, shortly after the club was promoted to the Saudi Pro League. According to reports, he attended the Sync Summit in Al Khobar, where he met with Aramco CEO Amin Nasser, Qadsiah board member Faisal Alnughaimish, and project head Nabil Aljama. Despite the high-level meetings, no agreement was reached.

Mourinho said: "Yes, I can deny that I had any meeting with the Portuguese Football Federation. I am a loyal person.

"The only time I had direct contact with a club I informed Fenerbahce. It wasn't now, it was in January. I had a meeting with the [unnamed] club. I didn't accept the offer. But I informed my club even before the meeting.

Regarding his future, Mourinho made it clear that any decision would be handled internally.

He added: "I am not speaking about next season. I will speak internally, not to the media. If there is something, out of respect to the president and the board, I will not bring it into the public."

Mourinho is still under contract with Fenerbahce, but discussions about his future are expected soon. If the Portuguese coach decides to leave, the Turkish club will need to act quickly, especially with Champions League qualifying rounds to negotiate over the summer.