"I don't want an internal conflict," the 56-year-old told the Telegraph. "I want internal empathy.

"I want to work in a club that understands there is a structure in place.

"During my career I have been working in every possible circumstance. The most successful situations are not because of the structure but because of the empathy in the structure."

Since leading Porto to a shock Champions League success at Porto in 2004, Mourinho has managed United, Chelsea (twice), Real Madrid and Inter.

The Portuguese said his next destination could be "a club that is not ready to be a trophy-hunter immediately but with the ambition to be a trophy-hunter."

He added: "If it is a club without ambition I wouldn't go. I refused (the job offer) because I want high-level football and ambitions at the highest level.

"That is my second item (of requirement). My first item is structural empathy. I want to work with people that I love. People I want to work with, that I am happy to work with, with whom I share the same ideas.

"It was what I had at Inter. There are clubs like this. Normally, that is a very important part of a successful club."

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