Jose Mourinho has asked for talks with Besiktas after the Turkish giants made an approach which met his financial demands, the club’s vice-president has said.
Two-time Uefa Champions League winner Mourinho, who has been out of work since being sacked by Roma in January, wants to negotiate with the Black Eagles over their vacant managerial position, according to Huseyin Yucel.
“About a month ago, I met Jose Mourinho in Istanbul and he listened to our offer,” Yucel told TGRT Haber TV, via ESPN.
“He said he would think about it and give us an answer. He responded after a while and said he would like to meet again in Italy next week.
“We met Mourinho’s financial expectations. We are prepared to satisfy his salary demands. We will evaluate his hiring with the board of directors.”
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Yucel added that Besiktas will recommend Mourinho adds one of their former wingers, Ricardo Quaresma, to his coaching staff if he becomes their new manager.
Mourinho signed fellow Portuguese Quaresma from Porto shortly after joining Inter in 2008 and later loaned the Selecao international to another of his former clubs, Chelsea.
The 61-year-old is yet to coach in Turkiye, having led teams in Portugal, England, Spain and Italy.
Mourinho next job: Besiktas?
In a column in February, Mourinho appeared to strongly criticise Roma owners Dan and Ryan Friedkin and suggest he would return to Uefa’s major club competitions soon.
“I won’t be there for these final stages – not because I’ve been eliminated before, but because I’ve been ‘eliminated’ by someone who has little knowledge of football,” he told football.com.
“That’s life: full of ups and downs. I’m on the up, despite the dismissal that was as unexpected as it was unfair. But I’ll be back – and even more eagerly and confidently – for these Uefa matches.”
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Former youth coach Halim Okta has been in interim charge of Besiktas since ex-Portugal manager Fernando Santos’ dismissal in April.
Fifth-placed in the Super Lig, they have won the Turkish title 13 times but must beat Trabzonspor in Thursday’s Turkish Cup final to guarantee qualification for the Europa League play-offs.
Should they lose the final, Besiktas’ chances of competing in Europe next season are likely to depend on winning at sixth-placed Kasimpasa in their final match of the season on Sunday and hoping fourth-placed Istanbul Basaksehir lose.
