Jose Mourinho insisted he has not agreed to a deal to take over at Manchester United in the summer but is confident he will have a new job at the start of next season.
The former Chelsea manager has been heavily tipped to succeed Louis van Gaal as United boss at the end of the season, but he denied to Sky Sports News HQ any agreement is in place—with any club—and said he would like to work again in England, per Sky Sports’Matthew Treadwell:
[Van Gaal] is my friend, I worked with him for a few years.
I am always linked with jobs, and in the summer I will have a job, but in this moment I can promise you I do not have a contract with any club.
I am not in a position to turn [jobs] down, I am in a position to analyse. I am in a position to be open to any club or national team.
I have to be honest, if possible I would prefer a club but I must analyse to see what is best for my career and to be back with everything I have.
I would prefer [to be in England]. I love the country, I love the football here, my family is very stable and happy.
If possible yes, it would be my first choice.
Mourinho was sacked by Chelsea back in December after a shocking start to the season left the Blues 16th in the Premier League table, but his reputation as one of the world’s top managers remains intact.
Van Gaal, meanwhile, remains under constant pressure at Old Trafford as his side continue to struggle to secure Champions League football for next season.
Consistent top-four finishes in the Premier League was the least expected of the Dutchman when he was appointed as David Moyes’ permanent successor.
But, while he managed to engineer a fourth-place finish last season, United have gone backward during the current campaign, per theManchester Evening News’ Samuel Luckhurst.
Victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday will see United move back to within one point of fourth-placed Manchester City with six games remaining, and a top-four finish is still very much on the cards.
However, United’s failure in this season’s Champions League—they were knocked out in the group stages—and the dire style of play Van Gaal has introduced at Old Trafford have left many calling for the former Ajax and Barcelona manger to be sacked.
Many believe, including Bleacher Report’s Dean Jones, that Mourinho’s appointment could provide United with the boost they need to become title challengers once again:
He has experience of the Premier League, having won it three times with Chelsea, and he has also had success in the last decade at Inter Milan and Real Madrid.
Of the high-profile managers currently available, Mourinho, 53, seems to be the only choice for United if they decide to sack Van Gaal.
Indeed, El Pais‘ Diego Torres previously reported that he had signed a pre-contract agreement with the Manchester club.
However, as of now, it seems the Portuguese has made no promises, and it is far from guaranteed he will be sat in the Old Trafford home dugout next season.
Bleacher report
