Former Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Manchester United assistant Rui Faria has been contacted by Saudi Professional League-giants Al Hilal about replacing Jorge Jesus if their current head coach makes a dramatic return to Benfica.

Faria, 43, was approached, once again, by the Crescent on Friday to ascertain potential interest in the biggest job in Middle Eastern football if it becomes available. The 17-year acolyte to Jose Mourinho has been told he is first choice for the position, plus is prepared to make them his opening managerial post if the conditions are right.

This move represents a reigniting of previous interest. The highly-rated Portuguese travelled by private jet with his representatives to Riyadh for unsuccessful talks prior to Jesus’ hiring in June on a lucrative one-year contract.

Benfica are currently searching for a replacement to the dismissed Rui Vitoria. Correio da Manha reported that a meeting took place between Jesus and big-spending SPL leaders Hilal on Friday to discuss the 64-year-old’s future, from which acceptance of a renewal offer is still forthcoming.

A source close to Faria revealed that the Barcelos-native was open minded about the renewed overtures and that his contract with United – that he unilaterally terminated in May – was the major impediment to a past deal.

“Rui Faria was contacted again last Friday to know conditions to take Al Hilal in case Jorge Jesus leaves for Benfica,” they said.

“Earlier in the year, Faria had been in Riyadh to negotiate with Al Hilal, but as, at the time, he still had a contract with Manchester United, he could not accept the offer.

“Depending on the conditions, Faria would say ‘yes’ to Hilal.”

Faria has been linked to a plethora of No1 roles since he broke his connection to Mourinho. These include Sporting Lisbon, Aston Villa and Benfica.

He also emerged in September as a potential candidate to replace Alberto Zaccheroni with the UAE. But the Asian Cup-hosts – who began on Saturday with a dispiriting 1-1 draw against Bahrain – chose to stick with the embattled ex-AC Milan, Juventus and Japan supremo.

Faria’s immediate future in the Arabian Gulf is tied into Jesus’.

Benfica, according to widespread reports in Portugal, are prepared to rehire a tactician who controversially defected to bitter-rivals Sporting Lisbon in June 2015. In a six-year stint at Estadio da Luz, he’d claimed 10 major trophies.

If Faria makes the switch to Saudi, he joins an ambitious competition that already contains former Croatia boss Slaven Bilic, at Al Ittihad, and ex-Egypt firebrand Mido with Al Wehda.