Jose Mourinho has teased a potential Premier League comeback after being questioned about the fortunes of his former club, Manchester United.
Speaking ahead of Fenerbahce’s Europa League clash with United on Thursday, the one-time United manager said he believes there’s more to his former side’s form than meets the eye.
But the 61-year-old also refused to be critical of former side United, who are currently experiencing their worst-ever start to a Premier League season, and are facing a tumultuous time, on and off the pitch.
‘It’s not for me to answer it, honestly,’ Mourinho said in Wednesday’s pre-match press conference. ‘I always repeat the same thing. I want them to be successful. They’re not playing against me in the Premier League.
Jose Mourinho teased a potential return to the Premier League ahead of meeting Man United
The now-Fenerbahce manager was asked about his time as United boss ahead of the clash
Mourinho reflected on his time, and also said United are a better team than their form suggests
‘Of course, tomorrow I want to win, that’s the basic of football but I wish them the best. By wishing them the best, I wish the best to every one there.
‘You English guys think I am bluffing or playing mind games. They have a better team than their results show.
‘We watch everything, there is work there and sooner or later they will succeed.’
Then Mourinho, who saw his biggest Premier League success with west London side Chelsea, teased that he may well return to England to manage again.
‘Hopefully sooner and hopefully before I go back to the Premier League and they become my opponents.’
When asked to reflect on his last stint in the Premier League, Mourinho was queried whether he left United with any regrets.
‘Honestly, I didn’t lose one minute thinking about it,’ He responded. ‘I wish the best to Manchester United since the moment I left. I left with a good feeling to the club, to the fans.
Former Roma manager Mourinho took over at Turkish Super Lig side Fenerbache in June
The 61-year-old is a three-time Premier League winner with Chelsea where he arrived as ‘The Special One’ in 2004
He last managed in the Premier League during an ill-fated spell with Tottenham in 2021
‘I want the best for them. If things are not going amazingly well for them, it’s not something that makes me happy but at the same time, I have no time and doesn’t make sense for me to be thinking about what happened, what didn’t happen.’
Mourinho Premier League career goes all the way back to 2004, for his first managerial run with Chelsea. He managed the Blues until 2007, winning the league in his debut season (2004-05) and the following 2005-06 season.
He would return for a second stint between 2013 and 2015, winning the Premier League for a third time in the 2014-15 season.
The Portuguese manager would then take the reigns for nearly two seasons at Old Trafford, helping United win the EFL Cup and Europa League in the 2016-17 season.
His last Prem job was an ill-fated 17-month period at Tottenham, where he managed a post-Pochettino Spurs side to an EFL Cup final in 2021 – only to be unceremoniously sacked by chairman Daniel Levy days before the final.
