Jose Mourinho has sought to spice up Internazionale's Champions League return leg against Manchester United on Wednesday by saying he could take over as manager at Old Trafford when Sir Alex Ferguson retires.

Mourinho's team head to Old Trafford this week looking to progress to the quarter-finals following a goalless first leg at San Siro a fortnight ago.

The Portuguese secured a memorable victory at Old Trafford at the same stage of the competition five years ago with Porto, but Inter will be underdogs this week.

The former Chelsea manager claimed he could be Ferguson's successor, but he also believes the race for the Premier League title would be tighter if he was still managing in England.

"If you want me to rule out ever being Manchester United manager I can't," he told the News of the World. "Special clubs need special managers so in theory it could work, but nobody knows what the future is in football.

"The England national team wanted me as coach and that is the biggest job in England, so I am sure when Sir Alex retires they will look at the best managers in the world and I certainly fall into the category."

United currently lead the Premier League by seven points from Mourinho's former club Chelsea and Liverpool and also have a game in hand to further strengthen their position, but Mourinho believes things would be different if he had not been sacked by Chelsea in September 2007. "Yes, Manchester United are the best team in England but you have to ask how good has the Premier League been since I left?

"Manchester United have won it with ease since I have gone because no manager has put a team together that can rival them. But my teams always rival Manchester United and Sir Alex knows that.

"They are a great team but if I was at a top club in England I think the title race might have been a lot closer this year."

Mourinho also had some disparaging words for the teams trailing in United's wake. "Chelsea have had no stability, Arsenal are nowhere and Liverpool threatened but I don't think anybody really thought they were ever going to win it," he said. "I would not allow a team of mine to be so far behind. It is embarrassing in March.

"Manchester United have a great squad but are their players really that much better than Chelsea's or Liverpool's? I don't think so. So something else must be the problem and somebody has to take responsibility for that.

"I beat Manchester United with Chelsea and Porto. Now I am ready to beat them with Inter."