Inter coach Jose Mourinho dampened rumors of a move to Real Madrid on Thursday by saying that he was “99.9 percent” sure of remaining at the newly crowned Italian champions.
Florentino Perez, favorite to win the race to become Real’s next president, is reportedly keen to lure Mourinho to the Bernabeu stadium next season.
Perez has singled out the former Chelsea boss as his No. 1 target to take over from Juande Ramos should he succeed in winning the June 14 presidential election, Thursday’s Gazzetta dello Sport reported.
PHOTO: REUTERS
But Mourinho, speaking to Sky Sports, said: “I’m 99.9 percent sure to stay at Inter. But the person who’ll coach Real next season will be a very lucky man.”
Mourinho, who has repeatedly stated his intention to remain at Inter next season, has already been contacted by Perez’s advisors and has notified Inter president Massimo Moratti of the interest from Spain.
La Gazzetta has reported that Mourinho’s contract, which runs until 2011, has an escape clause of between 5 million euros (US$7 million) and 6 million euros.
Mourinho said that while a move to Real was tempting, his goal in life was to be happy at work.
“The great temptation is to be happy, happy to work, to wake up every morning and go to [Inter’s training ground] Appiano with happiness and satisfaction, and to work,” Mouinho said.
“As a coach said a few years ago, ‘Where there’s a ground, players and some balls, you’re happy.’ But of course, Real is Real and you can say it is a little tempting,” he said.
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