THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MILAN — Jose Mourinho wants to rejuvenate Inter Milan by bringing in two or three younger players for next season, and has indicated he may stay with the Italian club for "another four or five years."
While Inter is on course for its fourth consecutive Serie A title, the Nerazzurri failed at their top goal of winning the Champions League, getting eliminated in the first knockout round by Manchester United.
Inter’s European Cup drought extends all the way back to 1965.
"The teams needs a bigger margin of improvement. When you have two young players like (Mario) Balotelli and (Davide) Santon with enormous possibilities of growth you can’t be satisfied," Mourinho said, referring to the club’s two 18-year-olds.
"Actually, we should aim on having four or five young players of their level next year," Mourinho said in an interview with the Gazzetta dello Sport on Wednesday. "We’ve got to have more youngsters with potential. Even if that means reducing winning potential in the near future. I think it’s a risk we shouldn’t be afraid to take."
Mourinho is in his first season at Inter, and is taking stock after the loss to United.
"I don’t want to protect myself, win tomorrow and then leave my successor a team without any potential," added Mourinho. "I’m not an egoistic coach. I’m working for Inter’s future.
"Let me give you an example. When (Luiz Felipe) Scolari arrived at Chelsea he said he had never found a club as organized as that one, with such a professional squad and as much potential, it was a great source of pride."
Mourinho has a three-year contract with Inter, and he downplayed reports indicating he was preparing to return to England sooner.
"Two or three. Three or four. There’s a lot of talk of Mourinho maybe leaving Inter, but why doesn’t anyone write that Mourinho could stay here another four or five years," he said. "And the same goes for (Zlatan) Ibrahimovic."
Disappointed over Inter’s performance in Europe, Ibrahimovic has given signals that he may want to leave at the end of the season, although he has a contract through 2013.
Inter president Massimo Moratti said he was planning a discussion with the Sweden striker.
"When we sit down together, I’ll understand more," Moratti said.
Ibrahimovic is tied for the Serie A scoring lead with Bologna’s Marco Di Vaio, with 19 goals each.