Report: Arsenal Manager's Job 'Would Appeal' to Jose Mourinho

Former Manchester United and Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho would reportedly be open to taking over at Arsenal if the position became available.

According to Rob Dawson of ESPN FC, Mourinho would be interested in the post and making a return to Premier League action after being axed by United in December last year.

"Sources have told ESPN FC that the chance to win trophies with three Premier League clubs would appeal to Mourinho, who won three titles with Chelsea, but he would need assurances from the board that funds were available to allow a serious challenge at silverware," the report continued.

As Dawson noted, current Arsenal boss Unai Emery is under pressure, with the team struggling for consistency in the early weeks of the campaign.

On Sunday, they let a two-goal lead slip against Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium. The match was also blemished by the conduct of club captain Granit Xhaka, who reacted angrily to jeers from his own supporters when substituted.

At the moment, Emery's position doesn't appear to be in immediate peril, although if he were to be moved on, then Mourinho wouldn't be a natural choice as successor. Greg Johnson of Football.London noted the principles of the coach aren't necessarily in line with the traditions of the club:

Football writer Musa Okwonga also said he would be surprised to see these reports come to fruition:

During his time working in English football, Mourinho was regularly at odds with former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.

The Portuguese was frequently involved in spats on the touchline with the ex-Gunners manager, as well as back-and-forth barbs in press conferences. Mourinho memorably branded Wenger "a specialist in failure" and as a result has never been the most popular figure among Arsenal supporters.

At United, he steered the team to EFL Cup and UEFA Europa League success in his first season, although the side toiled before he was sacked. At the time of his departure last year, United had gotten off to their worst-ever Premier League start.

Mourinho spoke about Arsenal earlier in the campaign in his role as a pundit on Sky Sports:

James Benge of Football.London doesn't think the former Real Madrid and Inter Milan boss would actually take the job:

Mourinho is one of the most decorated managers of his generation, although his stock has fallen following his struggles at United. Additionally, at a time when the Premier League is based on high-intensity football, his brand of play has been accused of being outdated.

It'd be fascinating to see how Mourinho would fare at a club like Arsenal and how supporters would react to the appointment. Emery will be desperate to get some positive results on the board to prevent these stories from surfacing.