Arsenal ‘DID NOT meet Mourinho’ to discuss manager's job – but Bayern Munich sacking may offer return for the Special One
Arsenal have denied speculation that club officials met with Jose Mourinho to discuss the possibility of the Portuguese taking over at the club amid mounting pressure on manager Unai Emery, according to reports.
Recent reports in the UK press claimed that Gunners head of football Raul Sanllehi met Mourinho for dinner, fueling speculation that the former Manchester United boss was being lined up to replace beleaguered current head coach Emery.
However, according to ESPN, no such meeting took place and Spaniard Emery will be given time by the Arsenal hierarchy to turn things around after a disappointing start to the season.
The London club drew 1-1 at home with Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, leaving them fifth in the Premier League table, six points off fourth-placed Chelsea and the Champions League places.
The Gunners have been engulfed in turmoil as top earner Mesut Ozil has largely been sidelined by Emery – although he did feature on Saturday – while skipper Granit Xhaka was involved in an ugly row with home fans in the recent game against Crystal Palace.
Also on rt.com ‘Utter disgrace’: Arsenal fans fume after captain Xhaka 'tells own supporters to f*ck off' before ripping off shirt (VIDEO)While London-based Mourinho may have to wait on a possible opening at the Emirates, a more immediately available position is at German giants Bayern Munich, who sacked head coach Niko Kovac at the weekend after suffering a 5-1 hammering at the hands of Eintracht. Bayern sit fourth in the table, four points off the top.
Early suggestions are that former Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri is among the frontrunners for the post, while Ajax manager Erik ten Hag, current Bayern interim manager Hans Flick, ex-RB Leipzig boss Ralf Rangnick and even former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger have all been tipped as possible replacements for Kovac.
But Mourinho has inevitably emerged as among the favorites, given he continues to kick his heels on the sidelines almost 12 months since he was sacked by Manchester United.
The size of the club would certainly match the Portuguese mastermind’s ambitions and stature, and Mourinho, 56, has previously revealed that he has used his time out to learn German more intensively.
Also on rt.com ‘I’m studying German’: Did Jose Mourinho just drop a HUGE hint on where he’ll end up next?Bayern Munich legend Bastian Schweinsteiger, who played under Mourinho at Man Utd, said the Portuguese had always been curious about the Bundesliga.
“I can imagine Mourinho in Germany,” he told a German broadcaster. “I remember he was always asking me about Bayern and the Bundesliga. During our away games, there was always Bundesliga on TV. He really knew every single player, even from the smaller teams. He was also learning German.”
There have also been reports that Mourinho would be ready to step in should former club Real Madrid sack Zinedine Zidane after their underwhelming start to the season, meaning another potential option for the Special One.
Mourinho has already turned down a chance to manage in China, in a deal that would reportedly have netted him a record $110 million.
