Mourinho took ‘huge pay cut’ to join Roma as Spurs save £13m

Joe Williams
Jose Mourinho Tottenham Roma
Jose Mourinho Tottenham

Former Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho took a huge pay cut to join Serie A side Roma, according to reports.

The 58-year-old was fired from Spurs on April 19 but will take over at the Serie A club from Paulo Fonseca for the 2021/22 campaign.

It sees a return to Italy for Mourinho following a triumphant spell with Inter Milan over a decade ago where he won the treble, including the Champions League.


OPINION: Roma an ideal host for the Mourinho Show – not a compliment


However, he is unlikely to be dining at the top table next season, with the club heading out of the Europa League, trailing Mourinho’s former club Manchester United 6-2 after the semi-final first leg, and unlikely to reach Europe through their league position.

And the Daily Mail now claim that Mourinho has ‘taken a significant pay cut to become Roma’s new manager’ with his wages at Tottenham understood to be around £10m a year.

Mourinho agreed terms on a deal worth £6.5m a year to take over as the Giallorossi boss, meaning he will now earn £3.5m a year less in Serie A.

Roma ‘are given a tax discount of around 30 per cent on his wages’ and Mourinho will ‘earn more money in bonuses if he can lead Roma to Italian or European glory during his time in charge’.

It is understood that Spurs ‘will continue to pay some of his salary’ but that his move to Roma could save the north London club ‘as much as £13m in compensation’.

Mourinho, who endured a disappointing campaign with Spurs before his sacking six days before the Carabao Cup final, has been drawn to the Italian capital by the ambition of the club’s owners.

“After meetings with the ownership and (general manager) Tiago Pinto, I immediately understood the full extent of their ambitions for AS Roma,” he said on the club’s official website on Tuesday.

“It is the same ambition and drive that has always motivated me and together we want to build a winning project over the upcoming years.

“The incredible passion of the Roma fans convinced me to accept the job and I cannot wait to start next season.

“In the meantime, I wish Paulo Fonseca all the best and I hope the media appreciate that I will only speak further in due course. Daje Roma!”