Benfica president Rui Costa insists there’s been no talks with Jose Mourinho.

The former Chelsea, Real Madrid and Inter Milan coach has been linked with Benfica after February’s sacking by Roma.

Rui Costa told an editors pool: “Anyone who says at any club in the world that they don’t think about plans B, C or D is lying. Even with my conviction in Roger Schmidt, and I don’t back down, even in positive situations, even last year I had plan B, C, D.

“I never spoke to José Mourinho and he talked about it. I never spoke to Mourinho, we never had an approach, the last time I was with him was in a difficult circumstance, at Artur Jorge’s wake, we obviously didn’t talk about any one theme. He deserves all the respect in the world, he said there was no conversation and I confirm that. I had plans A, B, C, D, E.”

And plan M?

“I’m not going to say his lyrics, because otherwise I wouldn’t have to say M for Mourinho, but he’s always an elite coach, undeniably what you could think of as well. But it was never questioned, in my head it was always my conviction that keeping Roger Schmidt would be the best solution for Benfica. Not for me Rui Costa, but for stability it is the best benefit we can get and counter the club’s history in recent years in which every coach who is not a national champion has to leave soon. It was, it wasn’t this year. It has everything to be able to do well next year.”