Jose Mourinho has confirmed that his next managerial position will start in July, once the current season has completed
The 53 year old confirmed his move in an interview with BT Sports Matt Smith, although the presenter conceded the conversation took place behind closed doors
Mourinho has been out of work since being sacked by Chelsea following a poor attempt at defending their title
Speculation persists over the Portuguese tacticianÂ’s next move with the former Porto manager being spotted in the stands at many top clubs
We assess the potential destinations for the ‘Special One’:
MANCHESTER UNITED
The pressure intensified on Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal this week after a disastrous performance against Liverpool in the Europa League
The Reds ran United off the park at Anfield in the 2-0 win; a scoreline which could have been worse if not for David de Gea
LVG has been criticised all season long following another disappointing campaign for the Red Devils in both the league and Europe
If United fail to qualify for the Champions League, it is widely believed that van Gaal will leave his position a year before his contact is due to expire
Ryan Giggs is seen as the perfect successor to the throne but the Welshman could struggle to compete with the experience and reputation of Mourinho should he be interested in taking the position
Mourinho would make widescale changes to the current backroom staff with the likes of Rui Faria, Silvino Louro and Carlos Lalin following him to his last four jobs
GiggsÂ’ position as assistant manager could be safe unless the 42 year old feels that he is ready to take the next step into management
The future of many United players could be in doubt including Juan Mata, who was sold by Mourinho in order to accommodate OscarÂ’s involvement in the Chelsea side
United could also benefit from the contacts of MourinhoÂ’s agent, Jorge Mendes, who has many high profile players on his books including James Rodriguez and Cristiano Ronaldo
REAL MADRID
According to reports in Spain, Mourinho was targeted by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez to re-join the club he left in 2013
Following Rafael BenitezÂ’s departure, club legend Zinedine Zidane was promoted to the role of manager
Despite the appointment being extremely popular amongst fans, doubts remain over whether ‘Zizou’ is ready for such a prestigious role so early in his coaching career.
Benitez left the club in third position, just four points off the top
The gap has since widened to 12 points under the guidance of Zidane
Although the Frenchman currently boasts a better win percentage than the now Newcastle manager, questions marks remain over his long term future as manager
Perez had reportedly held talks with Mourinho in January according to Spanish journalist Diego Torres
Mourinho will reportedly favour a move to Old Trafford rather than returning to the club he left just three years ago
His last reign ended on a sour note after falling out of favour with the clubÂ’s fans and players which ultimately led to his departure
INTER MILAN
A return to former side Inter Milan has also not been ruled out as the Portuguese is still highly regarded by his former employers due to his 2010 treble winning season at the helm
Mourinho visited the side in February and admitted that a return to Milan could be on the cards one day
Current manager Roberto Mancini was replaced by Mourinho but has refused to be drawn into speculation that his position could be under threat
He enjoyed a fantastic relationship with both the players and fans at the San Siro before leaving to join Madrid
Inter have endured a fall from grace in recent years following the dominance of the likes of Juventus, Roma and Napoli
The Nerazzurri face stiff competition for a place in the Champions League yet again this season with Roma five points ahead in the race for qualification
Mourinho could be the man to turn their fortune around and return them to their glory days
PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN
Oil-rich PSG have courted Mourinho in the past with the clubÂ’s Qatari owners meeting on at least two occasions to discuss their project and plans for the team
Despite dominating Ligue 1, PSG have so far struggled to establish themselves as a frontrunner in the Champions League
Mourinho was approached well before current manager Laurent Blanc was appointed but was currently happy in charge of Madrid when he was offered the chance to move to the French capital
BlancÂ’s exploits in France have not gone un-noticed after winning back to back titles with the Parisians which has meant the 50 year old is in the running to replace van Gaal in Manchester
Should Blanc despite to stay at the club, it is unlikely that PSG would look to replace the man who made 97 appearances for the French national team during his time as a player and has brought consistent success to the capital.
TOTTENHAM
Mauricio Pochettino has received many plaudits for his work with Tottenham this season after putting the Lilywhites well and truly in the race for the title with a squad featuring a number of young players
His record at Spurs and Southampton is extremely impressive which has led to ChelseaÂ’s interest in taking over from Gus Hiddink at the end of the season
Reports suggest that Chelsea officials made contact with the ArgentineÂ’s representatives at the end of February to sound out a potential move
However, with the Blues set to miss out on Champions League football, Roman Abramovich would face a struggle to convince the 44 year old to switch to Stamford Bridge
Daniel Levy will be keen to see Pochettino remain as manager with Spurs ready to return to the Champions League and a new stadium waiting in the wings.
Ultimately, money talks and if Chelsea managed to persuade the former Espanyol manager to take the reins, Mourinho could emerge as a surprise contender for the Tottenham job
Spurs would need someone with Champions League experience and could build on the squad that Pochettino has created
Only time will tell which dug-out Mourinho is sitting in next season with many indications pointing towards Old Trafford as his preferred destination
No matter which club manage to secure the signature of the ‘Special One’, fans will be eager to see how Mourinho bounces back following his pre-mature departure from a club so close to his heart
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Source : DSG
Source: DSG