Jose says no way! Mourinho 'turned down $110mn offer' to manage Chinese team Guangzhou Evergrande

Jose Mourinho rejected what would have been a record-breaking offer worth $110 million to manage Chinese team Guangzhou Evergrande, according to reports.

Former Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester United boss Mourinho is said to have been offered a whopping £28 million (US$35 million) per season, along with bonuses, to take over at the Chinese Super League club. 

Sky Sports reports that Mourinho met with billionaire Evergrande chairman Xu Jiayin in London back in April, when the offer is said to have been made.

Chinese Super League outfit Guangzhou are currently managed by Italian legend Fabio Cannavaro.

Current Guangzhou boss Cannavaro. © Global Look Press via ZUMA Press

The World Cup winner had juggled that role with being interim manager of the Chinese national team, but stood down to focus on Guangzhou Evergrande around the time Mourinho is believed to have been offered the chance to take over.

The Chinese club have not commented on the claims that Mourinho was offered what would have been a world-record deal to join them.

The Portuguese managerial great remains without a team, having left Manchester United in December.

The 56-year-old spent time with RT during his break from football, providing expert analysis for the Champions League on his show ‘On the Touchline with Jose Mourinho’.

However, he has frequently said he is targeting a return to a club in Europe this summer, despite not yet finding the right move.

The Chinese market offers increasingly lucrative possibilities for big-name managers and particularly players approaching the end of their career.

Former Liverpool, Real Madrid and Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez recently joined Chinese Super League club Dalian Yifang in a deal that will reportedly net the Spaniard around $15 million a year.