TOP TWO: Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho (above) is interested in the England job. Fabio Capello is the other favourite. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

Several newspapers reported that Jose Mourinho had secretly flown into London for an interview - having been promised a yearly salary of £6million (S$17.6million).

But the Football Association denied it, while others close to the former Chelsea manager insisted that he was still in his Portuguese hometown of Setubal.

Still, the consensus was that the FA will be talking at some stage to the 44-year-old, who already has a blueprint to save English football.

He has told the FA that he is prepared to give up on the idea of managing a top European club like AC Milan or Real Madrid.

One source, quoted by the Daily Mail, said: 'Jose's family love England, and he'd do anything to make them happy.

'His wife Tami really misses her life in London. The children have also suffered bullying in Portugal.'

The FA has already talked to the Italian Fabio Capello, the other favourite for the job, in Milan last Friday, when he outlined his plans and staffing needs.

Franco Baldini, his long-term right-hand man at his various clubs, would be recruited as his assistant.

There were also discussions about including Gianfranco Zola, the former Chelsea striker, to help Capello bridge the language divide.

The 61-year-old is available, having been sacked by Real Madrid despite winning the Spanish title last season.

The hunt for Steve McClaren's replacement has caused a rift at the FA, between chief executive Brian Barwick and the director of football development, Trevor Brooking.

Barwick is willing to sign up a foreigner, but Brooking wants an Englishman - West Ham's Alan Curbishley.

One high-ranking source described the relationship between the two FA officials as 'terrible'.

McClaren, who was sacked just 12 months into a four-year contract after failing to qualify for Euro 2008, believes England have a squad strong enough to win a major competition.

'The FA really have to choose the best man and, whoever that is, I have always believed there is enough in that squad, enough in those players, to be successful,' he said on Thursday.

'Unfortunately, it didn't work out for me.'