Jose Mourinho's services are too expensive; we can't afford him, claims Lyon President

What's the story?

Former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho was deemed too expensive and incompatible with the current economic conditions of Ligue 1 club Olympique Lyon by their president Jean-Michel Aulas, in an interview with L'Equipe.

Mourinho had said earlier this month that he was eager to return to coaching and that he would love to join a club as soon as the new season begins.

But, it seems that the club won't be the seven-time Ligue 1 winners Lyon for sure now.

In case you didn't know...

The Portuguese manager, was one of the best-paid managers in the world, while he was still in the Old Trafford dugout, reportedly earning a whopping £18 million a year.

When the board at the club decided to relieve him of his duties last December, he was awarded a massive £15m compensation package.

He has made a fortune over the years, just by getting sacked on multiple occasions and has earned a whopping £62.5 million in compensation packages from all of his sackings.

The heart of the matter...

Jose Mourinho is considered one of the top managers in the world at the moment, as his CV includes league titles in four different countries, two Champions League triumphs and one treble with Inter Milan.

So, it is understood that the services of such an accomplished coach won't come cheap.

And Lyon's President seems to know this very well and when he was inquired about the rumors linking Mourinho to replace current coach Bruno Génésio next season, he replied that The Special one was out of their economic reach. He told L'Equipe:

“The Special One is not compatible with our economic reality.”

The 55-year-old had himself suggested in a recent interview that he could imagine himself as a manager in the Ligue 1. He told beIN SPORTS:

“I can imagine myself as a coach in Ligue 1. Working in a new championship would be a fantastic experience.”

What's next?

Mourinho has been spending his spare time appearing as a TV analyst for the past 3 months. But, come next season and it won't be surprising to see the man back in coaching given that he remains one of the best available managers in Europe at the moment.