Roberto Mancini is eyeing a return to club management in one of Europe's major leagues, though added that he still harbours hopes of taking charge of the Italian national side.
Former Manchester City boss Mancini has been without a club since he left his post at Inter in August 2016, having guided the Nerazzurri to a fourth-placed finish in 2015-16.
And now Mancini has revealed he turned down offers from China in order to stay in Europe, refusing to rule out a return to the Premier League - which he won with City in 2012.
"In the future I would love to coach the Azzurri. To lead your country is the crowning ambition for any coach," Mancini told the Sunday Post newspaper.
"For the moment, though, I want to continue working with club teams.
"A year and a half of work was thrown away when I left [Inter] which was very disappointing. I believe if I had stayed we would have been very close to Juventus now.
"I do not think I will go to China. They called me, but I said no because, for me, the real place for football is in Europe.
"I do feel an experience abroad would suit me, though. Perhaps in Spain or in France.
"I have already been to England and won there. But if the right offer came along, you never know."
Mancini was heavily linked with the vacant managerial role at Leicester City following Claudio Ranieri's sacking in February, but the former Foxes midfielder insisted that there was no contact from the Premier League champions.
"When I heard what had happened to [Ranieri] I was sorry," Mancini said.
"What he did was more than a sporting miracle, it was something truly unique. So personally, even if they had been relegated, I think it would have been right to keep him on.
"But as a coach I know that when things go wrong we are the ones who lose our jobs so it was not the biggest shock in the world.
"There were some reports stating I was approached by Leicester about the position after his departure. But that is not the case."
