Jose Mourinho's next managerial job odds: Premier League return looks unlikely

Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham tenure lasted just 17 months before he was axed on Monday and Paddy Power are not expecting the Special One to return to management in the Premier League any time soon.

Mourinho has now been sacked from his last three clubs in the English top flight, following previous stints with Chelsea and Manchester United, and bookmakers believe the Portuguese may head in a different direction.

Paddy Power have installed the Portugal national team as the 11-2 favourite for Mourinho’s next managerial role, with a return to Italy to take charge of Juventus a 6-1 chance and former club Porto 8-1.

Mourinho has yet to dip his toe into international management but his native Portugal would be the perfect fit, although Fernando Santos won’t be easy to dislodge having been in that role for seven years and recently extended his contract until 2024.

Santos’s future may depend on Portugal’s fate at Euro 2020 as they have an exciting crop of players - Andre Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Diogo Jota and Joao Felix are Cristiano Ronaldo’s supporting cast - and are considered live contenders.

It would offer a fresh challenge for Mourinho but his ego remains a problem, making it an unlikely switch until the country’s talisman Ronaldo, who he clashed with when in charge at Real Madrid, retires.

Mourinho enjoyed great success in Serie A with Inter, guiding them to back-to-back league titles as well as Champions League glory, so a return to Italy cannot be discounted.

Juventus appear the most likely fit, especially given their current situation under the inexperienced Andrea Pirlo.

The Old Lady are well off the title pace - 13 points behind leaders Inter with seven games to go - and were dumped out of the Champions League at the last-16 stage by Porto.

Ronaldo is reportedly looking to leave Juve at the end of the campaign and the manager’s mindset would seemingly be suitable for the Turin giants, who are regularly considered as masters in the art of defending.

Mourinho also enjoyed some of his greatest managerial days with Porto, who he led to a surprise Champions League triumph in 2004.

The Special One is 8-1 to rekindle his love affair with the Dragons, but they have a promising young manager in the shape of Sergio Conceicao, who has been at the helm since 2017, and Mourinho may have outgrown the Primeira Liga.

The money continues to grow in the MLS and the States is 10-1 to be Mourinho’s next destination while a move to China can be backed at 16-1.

Celtic are a 12-1 chance, England are 14-1 while Crystal Palace, who are 22-1, are the shortest priced Premier League team in the betting.

West Ham and Newcastle, who may be interesting if their planned takeover deal goes through, are available at 25-1, with Wolves considered a less likely port of call at 33-1.

European heavyweights PSG and Borussia Dortmund are both 16-1, despite having both recently appointed new managers, while La Liga title-chasers Atletico are the same price but are unlikely to wave goodbye to Diego Simeone.

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