JOSE MOURINHO has reportedly accepted the new head of the Saudi organization Al-Shabab.
The Special One was sacked by Roma earlier this week after a dismal run in Serie A.
But he is reportedly set for an immediate return to the beautiful game after holding positive talks with Al-Shabab chiefs on Thursday.
Aawsat claims Mourinho held a Zoom meeting with sporting director Dominico Tite before verbally accepting his new manager.
The Saudi Pro League’s recruitment team had already given Al-Shabab permission to talk about a mega deal.
And Mourinho will fly to Riyadh in the coming days to finalise the terms of his new contract.
The ex-Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham boss apparently impressed Tite with his knowledge of the Saudi sporting project.
Al-Shabab has won the Pro League name in 12 years, while its last trophy came ten years ago in Saudi Arabia’s King’s Cup.
And Mourinho has reportedly promised to get them back to the most sensible position by filling the squad with the most sensible foreign players in a spending spree this summer.
Last year he admitted his travels would eventually end up taking him to the Middle East.
Mourinho said: “I will go to Saudi Arabia in my free time, I am convinced that I will paint there.
“I don’t know when, but I’m pretty sure. No one knows the future, but I will. “
Al-Shabab is lately ranked 11th in the Saudi Pro League standings and recently controlled through former Liverpool player and Champions League winner Igor Biscan.
The former Croatian player was not named until October, but he has only played 11 games after only 3 wins.
He was shown the door after Christmas and Al-Shabab has been in interim regime ever since.
Unlike their Saudi rivals, they don’t have many big foreign stars.
Belgium winger Yannick Carrasco is their top star, costing just £13million from Atletico Madrid last summer.
Former Wolves defender Romain Saiss and former Argentina midfielder Ever Banega are on Al-Shabab’s books.
But their move for Mourinho indicates they are ready to start splashing in a bid to challenge Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr and N’Golo Kante’s Al-Ittihad.
If he accepts the job, it will be Mourinho’s first outdoor Europe.
On Tuesday, they eliminated Roma after a 3-1 loss to AC Milan that left the capital club in ninth place in Serie A.
Mourinho departed the training ground in tears after forming an emotional connection with the fans.
He led Roma to their first continental trophy in 2022 by winning the inaugural Europa Conference League.
Mourinho led them to the Europa League final last season, where they lost to Sevilla.
Roma have since appointed the club’s late Daniele De Rossi as interim coach until the end of the season, with their first match being played against Verona.
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