Mourinho keeps Real door open

Jose Mourinho has stunned Inter Milan fans by revealing there is a possibility he may not return to coach the club next season.

The Portuguese coach is under contract with Inter until June 2011 but has been linked in the Spanish media with Real Madrid.

When asked about the chance he could leave Inter, Mourinho said on the club’s official website, www.inter.it: “There is still a 0.01% (chance).

“But for me this is not an important number, it just means that I am closer to Inter than to Real. I am satisfied with the relationship with the fans and with my players.

“I repeat, I am closer to staying at Inter than going elsewhere.”

Real Madrid’s leading presidential candidate, Florentino Perez, has strongly indicated Mourinho will not come to the Bernabeu, however.

“At no time has there been an offer made to coach Jose Mourinho,” read a statement from Perez’s camp.

“The sporting advisors to Florentino Perez’s candidature are looking into different alternatives for the (coaching) post.”

Mourinho begs to differ, claiming he did receive an offer from the Spanish giants.

“It is not easy because an offer like that makes you think twice,” he said. “But (Inter president Massimo) Moratti knows the truth.

“But I am under contract until 2011 and I think the president gets angry with people that are not honest, not with those that after five minutes have already put him up to date with what has gone on.

“But whoever guides Real Madrid will be fortunate because they will not be the first choice. They had chosen four coaches as candidates to guide the team and I think all of them have turned it down.”

Mourinho took the helm at Inter last summer following the departure of Roberto Mancini and guided the club to a fourth straight Serie A title.

In Europe, however, the club lost in the first knockout round of the Champions League.

He promised the fans more titles would be on the way shortly after celebrating his first Scudetto.