Branislav Ivanovic talks up Jose Mourinho's Chelsea return

Defender Branislav Ivanovic has conceded that it would be a "pleasure" to work with Jose Mourinho.

The Portuguese coach has been widely tipped to leave his role with Spanish champions Real Madrid in the summer, with numerous reports having linked him with a return to Stamford Bridge.

Despite the fact that he never got the chance to play under Mourinho during his first stint in charge of the Blues, Serbian international Ivanovic has admitted that he is excited by the prospect of being coached by the 50-year-old.

"For the top club, and for the big club of [like] Chelsea, we need the best from the players," Ivanovic told Sky Sports News. "From the managers and maybe one day it will be a pleasure to work with him.

"We'll see. You never know and it's not time for us to speak but the players who said already in the paper who worked with him already said he was success[ful].

"This is a very, very important thing. And for him personally, how he said Chelsea is his home and he loves the club and I think this is something positive and [brings a] good atmosphere, which can have a good, positive things for the club."

Mourinho won six major honours during his three-year spell with Chelsea, which was brought to an end in 2007.