The former Chelsea manager joined the Portuguese club last September, but Petit believes a return to the English top flight would be too good an opportunity to turn down, especially as his debut at Benfica was not the best.
Mourinho emerged as ‘The Special One’ more than 20 years ago, after leading FC Porto to Champions League victory and taking charge of Chelsea. After two spells at Stamford Bridge, he also coached Manchester United and Tottenham, with mixed success. Although he spent many years coaching in England, and has also been on the bench for Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Roma, Fenerbahce and other clubs, the Benfica coach still aspires for more.
Mourinho shows ambitions for the Premier League.
In October 2024, he declared: “ The best thing for me, after leaving Fenerbahçe, is to join a club that does not participate in UEFA competitions. So, a club at the bottom of the table in England, who needs a coach in two years, I’m ready. I don’t want to talk about it anymore. I want to talk about the game.”
Today, Petit sees himself taking the reins of Wolves, currently without a coach and last in the Premier League.
Portuguese legend ‘loves the Premier League’
The Frenchman believes the lure of the English championship could be tempting, especially as it would be a new challenge with a struggling team. He adds that the Portuguese’s “strong character” could allow Wolves to maintain their position.
He told JeffBet: “José Mourinho is not having the best start at Benfica, but with him, anything is possible. Mourinho loves the Premier League and coaching a team like Wolves could be a completely new experience for him. Accustomed to teams with great players and significant resources, it is surprising to see him fight to maintain. Why not ? Wolves have been linked with many Portuguese players for years, which could suit Mourinho. It would be a big challenge for him, because Mourinho has a strong character and Wolves perhaps need his fighting spirit to stay in the Premier League. Personally, I would love to see Mourinho back in the Premier League at the helm of Wolves. »
Petit added that his former Arsenal teammate Patrick Vieira and Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard are unlikely to join the West Midlands club.
“No, Patrick Vieira should not accept the job as Wolves coach. He’s been sacked several times before, and I think a more stable environment would benefit him. I wish Vieira and Steven Gerrard good luck if they decide to take the reins at Wolves, but there will be difficult times, and they will have to learn to overcome them,” he added.
