José Mourinho has turned down an offer from Saudi Pro League club Al Shabab to take on the role of their new manager, according to a source from ESPN.
Domenico Tite, the sporting director of the club, engaged in talks with Jorge Mendes, Mourinho’s agent, immediately after the Portuguese coach was sacked by AS Roma last week.
Despite expressing his desire to manage in Saudi Arabia in the near future, Mourinho, who turns 61 on Friday, has opted against joining the SPL at this time.
While he has garnered interest from European clubs, the source mentioned that Mourinho is taking his time to decide on his next move.
Due to league regulations, he cannot manage another Italian club this season, making potential interest from clubs like Napoli a consideration for the next season.
Mourinho, who has faced dismissal in his last five coaching positions, including Chelsea, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Tottenham, and Roma, has indicated his preference to stay in Europe, but only for the right project.
Al Shabab, currently 11th in the Saudi Pro League, is eager to replace their embattled manager, Igor Biscan, having won just five of their 19 league games this season.