MILAN (Reuters) - Jose Mourinho said he was almost certain of staying at Inter Milan next season but has left reported suitors Real Madrid a crumb of hope they might be able to lure him away from the Italian champions.
"It's 99.9 percent (certain) that I'll stay at Inter, but whoever coaches Real next season will be a very lucky man," the former Chelsea and Porto boss told Sky television Thursday.
"Obviously, Real is Real and there's a little temptation."
Spanish media have reported that Real presidential candidate Florentino Perez has targeted Mourinho, who clinched the Serie A title last weekend in his maiden season in Italy.
Perez will bid to regain the presidency of the nine times European champions next month.
Mourinho, whose Inter contract runs until 2011, previously said it was 100 percent certain he would stay next season.
The Portuguese had also said he would like to complete a footballing "grand slam" by winning the Spanish title after his triumphs in England and Italy with Chelsea and Inter.
Inter president Massimo Moratti said he was confident of hanging on to Mourinho.
"The news from Spain reached us immediately but our coach has assured me that he does not want to leave Milan," Moratti was quoted as saying by Thursday's La Gazzetta dello Sport.
"I want to believe in our coach's word. In the past he has proved his seriousness, he has already shown that he never betrays his word.
"He is too serious a professional to do something of the sort," added Moratti.