Jose Mourinho rejects £26m-a-year Saudi deal

Jose Mourinho reportedly declined a £26 million-per-year net salary from Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal that would have made him football's best-paid manager. 

The Roma manager is focused on his current project at the Stadio Olimpico, where he has prowled the touchline for two seasons. 

Saudi Arabia's most successful club went to Mourinho earlier this month before approaching Juventus' Massimiliano Allegri. The Italian coach has since rejected a £17m-per-season proposal. 

And Mourinho, the esteemed Portuguese tactician, snubbed their advances in favour of staying at Roma, according to Italian football expert Fabrizio Romano.  

The deal at Al-Hilal would have made him the world's highest-paid manager in net earnings due to the fact that Saudi Arabia does not impose a personal income tax. Atletico Madrid's Diego Simeone is paid almost £30 million but is subject to tax. 

Mourinho is already handsomely compensated in Rome, receiving just over £8.1m each year for his expertise. Only seven managers worldwide earn more. 

Behind Simeone, Pep Guardiola rakes in £19.7m and Jurgen Klopp is paid £15.7m. 

Mourinho led Roma to the inaugural Europa Conference League title in 2021-22 with a 1-0 win over Feyenoord before taking them to the Europa League final this season, where they lost on penalties to Sevilla.

In Serie A, he has taken them to consecutive sixth-place finishes. 

PSG were revealed in May to be eyeing him as their new manager with relations between Mourinho and Roma's general manager, Tiago Pinto, reported to have become strained. 

But a gesture to the fans at full-time on the final day of the Serie A season against La Spezia, in which he repeatedly pointed to the turf, hinted that the 60-year-old could be staying put. 

He still has a year left on his contract and Italian media outlets, such as Football Italia, have been reporting that The Special One is negotiating a new deal with Roma.