Inter tried a sensational Mourinho return before Chivu decision
Before choosing Cristian Chivu, Inter had reportedly made a remarkable attempt to bring Jose Mourinho back to San Siro from Fenerbahce.
The Nerazzurri found themselves needing a new coach after Simone Inzaghi accepted the huge offer from Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League.
VERONA, ITALY – MARCH 31: Cristian Chivu head coach of Parma calcio reacts during the Serie A match between Verona and Parma at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi on March 31, 2025 in Verona, Italy. (Photo by)
The coach flew out this afternoon to Saudi Arabia to begin his new job, having signed the contract in Paris this week.
Advertisement
Inter are set to sign his replacement Chivu this evening on a two-year contract, having missed out on first choice Cesc Fabregas of Como.
Mourinho was on Inter list before Chivu
Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho lifts the trophy in front of his team after winning the UEFA Champions League final between Bayern Munich and Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, 22 May 2010. EPA/EMILIO NARANJO NO MOBILE DEVICES
According to Repubblica newspaper, there was another candidate who was approached before they plumped for Chivu and it was his old boss, Mourinho.
Chivu was a player in the Inter side that won the Treble in 2009-10 with Mourinho at the helm.
There was an attempt to bring the Special One back to San Siro this summer, but considering he is under contract at Fenerbahce and timing was of the essence to find a new coach to begin the Club World Cup, it was short-lived.
Mourinho is under contract with Fenerbahce until June 2026 and earns a reported €6m per season net.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Arsenal join Alejandro Garnacho race with Man United wonderkid keen to remain in England
Manchester United are focussing on player sales before turning their attention towards signing a striker, and plenty of big-name stars like Alejandro Garnacho are expected to make way. The Argentine was a regular under Ruben Amorim last season, playing 40 times under the new head coach, but the pair have not always seen eye-to-eye. Advertisement Their first altercation came before the Manchester derby last year, and the second came when the Argentina international reacted badly after his early substitution against Ipswich Town, which again led to tensions. But his comments after the Europa League final snub proved to be the final straw after which the Portuguese tactician asked him to find a new club in the summer. Alejandro Garnacho on his way out Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano recently even confirmed that the 20-year-old would indeed be leaving Old Trafford in the summer with three Premier League clubs monitoring proceedings with interest. Advertisement We already know Chelsea are long-term admirers, while Aston Villa have also been recently linked with a move for the Carrington graduate. Respected Argentine journalist Gaston Edul has now revealed the identity of the third club in question — Arsenal. There is interest from Napoli, who came close to securing his signature in January, while multiple Saudi Pro League sides including Al-Nassr are also keen. Arsenal join the race Atletico Madrid, and Bayer Leverkusen, who recently appointed Erik ten Hag as boss, are also eager to get a deal for Alejandro Garnacho over the line but as per Edul, the United No.17 wants to stay in the Premier League. Advertisement 'Two of the three clubs that enquired about Garnacho are Chelsea and Arsenal. Garnacho has a preference to stay in the Premier League.' INEOS were initially demanding at least £50 million for the ex-Atletico Madrid academy ace, and whether they up his asking price to avoid the prospect of selling to a direct rival remains to be seen. United fans will be bitterly disappointed to see one of their own leave for a fierce rival but it is clear that the wonderkid has no future under Amorim. Feature image Clive Brunskill via Getty Images Follow us on Bluesky: @
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Milan risk missing out on Bennacer, Theo Hernandez and Chukwueze cash
Milan are facing problems, as Olympique Marseille won't pay the Ismael Bennacer option, while Atletico Madrid offers for Theo Hernandez and Betis for Samuel Chukwueze are too low. The Rossoneri have failed to qualify for any European competition this season after finishing eighth in the Serie A table, which means they will have to tighten their belts a little. Advertisement Though Tijjani Reijnders is on his way to Manchester City, they were still hoping to bring in some fresh revenue with other player sales. Milan had hoped to cash in on players MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 02: Theo Hernandez reacts during the Coppa Italia Semi Final match between AC Milan and FC Internazionale at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on April 02, 2025 in Italy. (Photo by) The first was Bennacer, who had an option to buy for €12m which Olympique Marseille are not prepared to pay. Because the midfielder made only 12 appearances in his six-month loan, argue Marseille are hoping to negotiate another loan experience instead. On top of that, Sky Sport Italia transfer pundit Gianluca Di Marzio warns that the opening Atletico Madrid offer for Theo Hernandez is only €15m, considerably lower than they were hoping for. Advertisement It's a blow after the player rejected a far more lucrative proposal from Al-Hilal. MILAN, ITALY – OCTOBER 19: Samuel Chukwueze scores the opening goal during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Udinese Calcio at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on October 19, 2024 in Italy. (Photo by) Chukwueze is also on his way out, but negotiations with Real Betis are still at very early stages. It is unlikely to match the €21.1m plus up to €7m in add-ons that the Rossoneri paid to sign him from Villarreal in 2023.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Official – Inter Milan Appoint 2010 Treble Hero Cristian Chivu As New Coach
Official – Inter Milan Appoint 2010 Treble Hero Cristian Chivu As New Coach Inter Milan have appointed 2010 treble winner Cristian Chivu as the club's new coach to replace Simone Inzaghi. The Nerazzurri confirmed the Romanian's appointment in an announcement on their homepage. He has signed a two-year contract until the end of June 2027. Advertisement Inter Milan have spent the past few days searching for a new coach. Earlier this week, Simone Inzaghi confirmed that he was stepping down as coach. The 49-year-old joined Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal. There were a few notable candidates on Inter's shortlist, according to reports. The Nerazzurri had been working on snapping up Cesc Fabregas to become Inzaghi's successor. However, Como President Mirwan Suwarson strongly rebuffed the Nerazzurri's interest, and stated that the Lariani would refuse to release the Spaniard. Meanwhile, Genoa coach Patrick Vieira was another name reportedly on Inter's shortlist. Official – Inter Milan Appoint Cristian Chivu As New Coach PARMA, ITALY – FEBRUARY 22: Cristian Chivu, Head Coach of Parma Calcio, looks on prior to the Serie A match between Parma and Bologna at Stadio Ennio Tardini on February 22, 2025 in Parma, Italy. (Photo by) But in the end, it is Cristian Chivu who Inter have appointed as their new coach. Advertisement The Romanian had already had a long association with Inter going back to his playing days. Chivu joined the Nerazzurri from Roma in the summer of 2007. Along with the Giallorossi, he had also previously played for Ajax. Chivu would spent six seasons playing for Inter before hanging up his boots. Then in 2019, the former defender returned to Inter Milan to coach at various youth team levels. In 2021 he became the coach of the Primavera, or Under-19 team, a role he held for three seasons. This campaign, Chivu became the head coach of Parma, replacing Fabio Pecchia in midseason. This was his first senior coaching position. Advertisement Chivu guided the Gialloblu to Serie A safety after a bad run of form under Pecchia had put them in a precarious position. The thirteen matches that Chivu was in charge of Parma for constitute his only senior coaching experience. Therefore, the 44-year-old will have a lot to prove with Inter. As a player, meanwhile, as a player Chivu made 168 appearances for Inter across all competitions. He scored three goals for the club. Notably, the Romanian helped Inter to the European Treble of the Serie A title, the Coppa Italia, and the Champions League in the 2009-10 season. He started against Bayern Munich in that Champions League final.
