Carlos Alberto has disappeared of the radar somewhat since being signed by Bremen for a club record fee of US$12m in July 2007.

Fitness and disciplinary problems saw the Brazilian fail to settle at the Bundesliga club and he was sent out on loan a few months later - first to Sao Paulo and then to Botafogo.

Mourinho remains a fan of Carlos Alberto, who was a key part of the Porto team that he guided to the Champions League trophy in 2004, but the 23-year-old insists he is concentrating on Botafogo for the time being.

"I saw that already and I was very happy," Carlos Alberto told Portuguese newspaper A Bola. "It is natural that he is interested because we have already worked together. He has already praised me.

"I don't discard the idea that I will be happy to sort out a deal in the future, but at the moment I'm not looking at anything.

"I'm just thinking about Botafogo."