YOKOHAMA, Japan (Reuters) - AC Milan manager Carlo Ancelotti admits speculation linking Jose Mourinho with the club has added spice to his job.

Mourinho ruled himself out of the running for the vacant England manager's post amid reports the former Chelsea coach will replace Ancelotti at the end of the season.

"I read an article in the Italian papers about Mourinho," Ancelotti told reporters in Yokohama on the eve of Milan's Club World Cup semi-final against Japan's Urawa Reds on Thursday.

"Milan were supposed to have offered him my job. They may have done but I haven't been informed by the club that there has been a formal offer.

"If Mourinho does want the job it just gives me extra motivation. External talk like that doesn't give me any added pressure."

Milan have struggled in Serie A this season and are 10th, 19 points adrift of leaders Inter Milan, but Ancelotti insisted there was no cause for alarm.

"I'm simply concentrating on my job," he said. "I'm not distracted by rumours about Mourinho or whatever. I hope to carry on tomorrow as I did today."

Defender Alessandro Nesta gave his backing to Ancelotti.

"We've worked together for a long time and we trust the coach," he said. "We have won many titles. We won the Champions League -- that's why we're in Japan. We hope he stays."

RONALDO RESTED

Meanwhile, Ancelotti confirmed that striker Ronaldo would be rested against Urawa in order to get the Brazilian fit in time for Sunday's final.

"We talked with the medical staff and Ronaldo himself and decided not to risk him tomorrow," said Ancelotti, who added that club captain Paolo Maldini, playing in his final season before retiring, will make a rare start on Thursday.

"Obviously we hope Ronaldo will be fit to play in the final. You have to be careful and listen to the advice of the doctors in cases like this."

Ronaldo has barely trained since suffering a calf strain while warming up for a Champions League game in Lisbon last month and has cut an increasingly forlorn figure in Japan.

Barring a huge shock against Urawa, Milan are likely to face Argentina's Boca Juniors in the final.

The South American champions were playing Tunisia's Etoile Sahel in Tokyo later on Wednesday.

(Editing by Greg Stutchbury)