Jose Mourinho Says He Wants to Return to Management by June

Former Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho says he would like to return to management by June so he can enjoy a full pre-season with his new club.

The 56-year-old has been out of work since being sacked by the Red Devils in December 2018 but says he knows what type of job he is keen on taking on next.

"I would like to be back in the summer in June for a new club and a new pre-season," he told beIN Sports (h/t BBC Sport). "I know exactly what I don't want. I know what I want, in terms of not the specific club but the nature of the job, the dimension of the job."

Mourinho also explained he has already turned down several offers of employment:

The Portuguese had been linked with a return to former club Real Madrid, per Jason Burt at the Telegraph.

However, Los Blancos have since replaced Santiago Solari with Zinedine Zidane, meaning the Santiago Bernabeu is no longer a potential destination.

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has spoken about the possibility of taking on Mourinho:

The former Chelsea manager has been asked by Agence France-Presse (h/t Get French Football News) if he's open to working in France:

"It is difficult to say. If I said no (I am not considering it), I would not be being honest with you. If I say yes, you are going to start to speculate on the clubs that might interest me, who are going to have a free spot. I could return to a country that I already know or try something very big, which is to work in a fifth country and to win everything as I have done already. We will see what will happen."

There's no doubt that Mourinho's managerial reputation has taken a hit after his disappointing spell in charge of Manchester United. However, his prior track record and ability to win silverware mean he remains an attractive candidate.