José Mourinho, who took charge at Manchester United last summer, has said that he turned down a “big offer” to coach in China. He  did not specify which club made the approach, or the timing of the offer, but did say he would not criticise anyone for moving to the Chinese Super League.

“I have already refused a big offer to go to China, but I don’t criticise anyone who decides to do it,” Mourinho said, speaking to GQ magazine. “It’s their choice, their life. Only they can decide what they need for their future. Other managers in the Premier League have been critical, but I am no critic.”

Mourinho is the latest big-name coach to be linked with a move to the Chinese Super League. Luiz Felipe Scolari and Sven Goran-Eriksson are already managers in the division on substantial wages while the striker Carlos Tévez recently joined Shanghai Shenhua on a reported £615,000 per week.

Mourinho did admit to being “worried” by the prospect of losing players to China but he hopes those tempted by the money consider the whole package. “If you are negotiating a new contract with one of your players, and you offer him £5m per year and they offer £25m, then you have a big problem,” he said. “Maybe the player takes £5m because he prefers football. Or £25m because he prefers money.

“I am worried, because they can offer contracts that are impossible to offer in Europe. But in the end the player who wants to go is a player that maybe you don’t want to keep.”