By Phil McNulty
Jose Mourinho insists his next move after leaving Real Madrid will be to return to the Premier League.
Mourinho’s future at the Bernabeu has come under scrutiny as Real prepare to face Manchester United in the last 16 of the Champions League.
The Portuguese, 50, has been linked to United, Manchester City and Chelsea.
Asked when he expected to return to England, the former Chelsea boss said: “After Real. I love everything [about the Premier League].
He added: “Normally it will be my next step.”
Mourinho has also been linked with Paris St-Germain – but made it clear he sees his immediate future back in England.
But asked if he would replace Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, Mourinho said: “I don’t believe so. I think we have to end our career at the same time. [Ferguson] at 90 and me at 70.”
Mourinho was in charge of Chelsea from 2004 until 2007, during which time he won the Premier League and the League Cup twice, as well as the FA Cup.
He has since managed Italian side Inter Milan, where he won his second Champions League title after capturing the trophy with Porto in 2004.
Mourinho has been with Real since 2010 and won the the Spanish title last season.
But with Real lagging 16 points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona this season, Mourinho’s press conference once again revealed his scarred relationship with the Spanish media.
Local newspapers also turned their fire on Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney on Tuesday, with one labelling him “a freckled demon” and “a player and hooligan all rolled into one.”
“I didn’t read this,” said Mourinho. “But if I can support Rooney I would just say I was called worse than that week by week.”
Mourinho described the meeting with United as “the match the world wants to see” and he added: “It is the most important match in this round of the Champions League. When you see this press room completely full it represents what this match means to the world of football and everybody is waiting for a big football match.
“That is what we want and if I know the culture of English football and of a manager like Sir Alex Ferguson then I don’t think they are thinking of anything other than to play a big match.
“I hope the world gets what it wants.”
