Arsenal never made an approach for Jose Mourinho and didn't consider him as a replacement for Unai Emery when the Spaniard's job was under threat in 2019, football.london understands.
The Gunners were linked with Mourinho during the end of 2019 when results with Emery started to see his job under threat and the Portuguese was famously photographed in an executive box at Emirates Stadium during a Europa League game.
football.london understands that Mourinho was at the match to watch Portuguese club Vitoria in action and at no point were there any negotiations with Arsenal executives over a potential move to north London.
Indeed, one source admitted that Setubal-born Mourinho probably attended the game "knowing full well" that it would help "leverage his position" in negotiations with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy.
Arsenal's 3-2 win over Vitoria was on 24 October 2019 and Mourinho was appointed as Tottenham manager less than a month later on 20 November.
Mourinho at the game last night #afc pic.twitter.com/PjSOqgLBOf
— Urban Arsenal (@arsenal_urban) October 25, 2019
An Arsenal source told football.london that Mourinho was "never even remotely considered" for the manager's job, adding that "the football he plays is not on our line of thinking."
Mourinho has never been invited by Arsenal to watch a game and his relationship with the club has been tetchy over the years, particular when Arsene Wenger was in charge and the manager's would not speak with eachother apart from their customary pre and post-match handshakes.
The former Chelsea and Manchester United coach had previously praised current Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta for winning a trophy in his first few months at the club.
"He won an important competition in the first few months of his career [the FA Cup last season], that you cannot deny," said Mourinho.
"To be the Arsenal coach you have to be good, if you are not good you are not there.
"So yes I think Mikel is a good coach, but I want to respect the others, especially the others that I don't know well, and probably are also very talented.”
Reports at the time suggested Emery was set to be replaced by Mourinho but it's understood that there were no conversations held with either party despite him being available at the time.
The Tottenham boss is currently enduring a difficult time on the other side of north London with speculation mounting that he could lose his job if results continue.
It's in stark contrast to the turnaround in form seen under Arteta at Arsenal who has had an impressive start to 2021, winning three games and losing just once over eight games in all competitions.
Arteta's cup run from last season and overhaul of an ageing, bloated first team squad remains a key reason why the Arsenal ownership has full faith in his project going ahead - and goes to show that the decision to appoint him was the right one.
