A lucrative move to Saudi Arabia, one final crack at the Premier League, TV work - or an extended break to spend time with family at his plush London home... what's next for Jose Mourinho after being sacked by Roma?

Jose Mourinho was finally put of his misery on Tuesday morning when he was sacked by Roma after two-and-a-half years at the club.

It had been a dismal first half of the season for the Italian giants, which had seen them drop to ninth in Serie A, crash out of the Coppa Italia at the hands of fierce rivals Lazio and fail to win their Europa League group.

The campaign had been littered with controversial Mourinho moments, from being sent off five times by referees to publicly criticising his players on a regular basis.

But he had built a special bond with the fanbase after ending Roma's trophy drought by leading them to Europa Conference League glory in 2022, and Mourinho posted an emotional farewell message to supporters on Instagram.

Yet as one door closes, another may open. Mourinho will turn 61 next week, but remains one of the biggest names in football and is bound to be presented with opportunities over the coming days and weeks.

Jose Mourinho was sacked by Roma on Tuesday after a dismal first half of the season

Which option will he choose?

Mail Sport takes a look at potential next career moves for Mourinho, as he weighs up his future after departing Roma. 

Saudi Arabia beckons 

Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Karim Benzema have all been enticed over to the Saudi Pro League in the last 12 months, as the Middle East nation has flexed its financial muscles.

Some star names have not enjoyed their experience in Saudi Arabia, with Jordan Henderson already set to bring his six-month stay to an end by moving to Ajax, but others have been happy to sign lucrative contracts and leave European football behind.

Saudi Arabia are also keen to get some of the biggest managers in the world in their league, and having brought over Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard last summer, they could turn their attention to Mourinho.

The Portuguese boss has expressed his interest in moving to the country, claiming he will 'definitely' work there at some point.

Speaking back in October, Mourinho said: 'I will go to Saudi Arabia in some free time, but I am convinced that I will work there. I don't know when, but I am pretty sure of it.'

'I am committed to my work with Roma and I want to give everything to the club until the last day.

'No one knows the future, but I will definitely do this (working in Saudi Arabia).'

Mourinho's time at Roma is now over, freeing him up to join the Saudi Pro League next if he wants. 

Switch Europe for the US  

After Mourinho's sacking was confirmed on Tuesday, some interesting quotes from 2011 reemerged that may indicate where he could be heading next.

Speaking to the late Grant Wahl in an interview for Sports Illustrated, Mourinho stated that he was keen to manage in the US one day.

'I see myself coaching a [club] team, coaching the national team or helping develop soccer in the US,' he said.

'When I'm tired of winning things in Europe, it's something I want to do. I want to coach the Portuguese national team and I want to work in the United States.'

Revealing the attraction of working Stateside, Mourinho added: 'I love it. The people have a very open mentality. Everybody is the same. Status doesn't count a lot. I like it very much in this way.'

A lot can change in 13 years, but if Mourinho is still passionate about coaching in the US, now could be the time to make that switch. 

International management  

Mourinho has established himself as one of the best tournament managers in the game over the past two decades.

His trophy cabinet, which contains five European titles including two Champions Leagues, highlights how he is the master of navigating his teams through to the latter stages of competitions.

With this in mind, it seems he would be the perfect fit for an international job.

Achieving his dream of managing Portugal appears unlikely at this stage given that current manager Roberto Martinez has won all 10 of his games in charge, while Brazil recently appointed Dorival Junior as their new head coach.

But other roles could be available, and he may even be in the mix to succeed Gareth Southgate if he walks away after this summer's European Championship.

Mourinho previously revealed that he nearly took the England job in 2007 only to be talked out of it by his wife as she was concerned he would be bored.

Seventeen years later, he could get a second chance to lead the Three Lions. 

Back to the Premier League

Mourinho became a household name when he joined Chelsea in 2004, and he has kept returning to England over the years.

After leading the Blues to successive Premier League titles in 2005 and 2006, Mourinho went back to Stamford Bridge for a second spell in 2013 and won a third domestic title two years later.

He was sacked by Chelsea for a second time, but went on to manage Manchester United and Tottenham, and has made it clear that he loves working in England.

Mourinho told Sky Sports in 2022 that he would always keep his plush house in London which is just 200 metres from Stamford Bridge, seemingly keeping the door open for a third stint at Chelsea.

And he could get his chance sooner rather than later if results don't improve under current boss Mauricio Pochettino, with Chelsea languishing in mid-table and struggling to string a consistent run of results together.

Newcastle's Eddie Howe has also lost eight of his last 10 games, with the Magpies slipping down the table in recent weeks.

While it is understood that his job is not in any immediate danger, further poor results could cause Newcastle to act as the Saudi-backed club look to break into the top six on a consistent basis.

Mourinho has revealed in the past that he has a soft spot for Newcastle due to the close relationship he enjoyed with their former manager Sir Bobby Robson at Barcelona, and having often worked at clubs that are all too happy to splash the cash, he may fancy a shot at making the ambitious North-East outfit a major force to be reckoned with. 

TV work 

In his previous spells away from the dugout, Mourinho tried his luck as a TV pundit, and this could appeal to him again.

He appeared on Sky Sports to aid their coverage after being sacked by Manchester United in 2018, and has also offered his expert insight to Qatar-backed channel beIN Sports in the past.

Mourinho joined talkSPORT during the delayed Euro 2020 just months after leaving Tottenham, showcasing his knowledge of the game as England made it all the way to the final before losing to Italy on penalties.

Plenty of managers have traded the touchline for the studio over the years, including Mail Sport columnist Graeme Souness, and Mourinho may feel a change of scenery is just what he needs after over 20 years as a top-level coach.

He has also signed numerous sponsorship deals, and starred in advertising campaigns for huge brands such as Jaguar, Adidas and Hublot.

Continuing these partnerships while stepping away from the day-to-day grind of coaching could be an option for Mourinho. 

Walk away to enjoy family time 

Has Mourinho become worn down after spending the best part of a quarter of a century on the touchline?

If he has, now could be the time to walk away for good. Mourinho has had a remarkable managerial career in club football, and if a job at international level doesn't get his juices flowing, he may want to retire to spend more time with his family.

Mourinho has two children - Matilde, 27 and Jose Jnr, 23 - and they are both carving out promising careers for themselves.

Matilde founded her own jewellery brand, Matilde Jewellery, in December 2020, and they picked up the Emerging Brand of the Year award at the Professional Jeweller Awards.

Mourinho has thrown his support behind Matilde by wearing the jewellery himself, and it was on show when he joined rapper Stormzy for the music video Mel Made Me Do It in 2022.

Meanwhile, Jose Jnr could follow in his father's footsteps by becoming a manager.

Having played for Fulham's academy until he was released in 2017, Jose Jnr has now taken a greater interest in coaching, and was seen alongside his dad during his time at Manchester United to gain experience.

His tactical insight has already impressed Mourinho, who was blown away by his son's understanding of the game when he was only a teenager.

Mourinho once told reporters: 'In a period of a few bad results one day, he comes up with some analysis on my team — obviously suffering because Dad wasn’t doing well.'

'We had lost to Watford and Manchester City, I think, and he came with the stats of the team. I showed them to my assistants and I told them, "Be careful as one day this boy will take one of your places".'

Mourinho has very little left to achieve in the game, and he may decide to take a backseat and watch his children flourish alongside his wife of 35 years, Matilde Faria.