Former France winger Florent Malouda insists Jose Mourinho "belongs" in the Premier League and has backed his former manager to make a return to England's top-flight - but only to a team competing for the title.
Mourinho has been absent from the Premier League since his dismissal from Tottenham Hotspur in April 2021 and the Portuguese tactician has since ventured to Roma before taking the reins at Fenerbahce.
Despite being in his role with the Turkish giants for less than six months, Mourinho candidly admitted in an interview with Sky Sports that he would like to return to the Premier League in the future.
The former Chelsea and Manchester United boss has been linked with a number of jobs in England's top-flight, including Newcastle United and most recently Leeds United, but no Premier League move has come to fruition and Mourinho remains in Istanbul where he is gearing up for another attempt to claim the Turkish Super Lig title.
Despite leading Manchester United to success in the League Cup and Europa League, Mourinho was booted by the Red Devils in December 2018 following a disappointing start to the campaign.
His time at Tottenham also ended in acrimonious fashion as he was axed days before their League Cup final against Manchester City, and there is a sense of unfinished business in the Premier League for the 62-year-old.
Speaking to bet365, Malouda suggested a manager of Mourinho's calibre should be in England's top-flight, but only with a club who will provide him with an opportunity to add a fourth Premier League title to his illustrious CV.
"There's not many options where I see him," said the former Chelsea star. "It was strange for me to see him managing Tottenham and Manchester United.
"It just depends on how much energy he has to come back into the Premier League.
"But the next time [Mourinho's in the Premier League] it will have to be to challenge for trophies because the last time he competed for silverware was with Manchester United, but they were not anywhere close to winning the Premier League title.
"I think his ambition if he was to return is to win the Premier League. I don't see him coming back just to try and qualify for a Champions League spot.
He's got so much experience and so much knowledge of the game that he belongs to the best league in the world.
Signed from Lyon in July 2007, Malouda was one of the final transfers in Mourinho's first stint as Chelsea boss.
A huge factor in his decision to join the Blues, Malouda only got to work under the Portuguese coach for two months before the Special One unexpectedly departed Stamford Bridge in light of an increasingly fractured relationship with Roman Abramovich.
Malouda still went on to be a hit in SW6, winning the Premier League, UEFA Champions League and three FA Cup titles, but the former Blues winger wished he could have had a bit more time to work under Mourinho's tutelage.
"It was definitely too short," Malouda chuckled when reflecting on his brief relationship with Mourinho. "I thought he was someone who could help me a lot in my career, especially mentally to compete with the best in the world.
"I was annoyed actually that I was his last signing. I knew the context, and for me that was the reason why I was waiting to have a sign from him.
"I knew the situation, but I still made the move as I had a huge amount of respect for him."
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