Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo returning to England, the transfer take place at the end of the season.
According
to sources close to the self-anointed Special One, Real Madrid Manager
Jose Mourinho is once again the chosen one. He is the man Roman
Abramovich wants to succeed interim manager Rafa Benitez and a deal, say
those sources, is as good as done.
This
is not something anyone can confirm. Not when Jose Mourinho remains the
manager of Real Madrid, and the Spaniards remain in the hunt for the
Champions League championship this season. But Jose Mourinho has made no
secret of his desire to return to England and the pouting Portuguese
coach rarely speaks without an agenda. According to sources close to the
self-anointed Special One, Real Madrid Manager Jose Mourinho is once
again the chosen one. He is the man Roman Abramovich wants to succeed
interim manager Rafa Benitez and a deal, say those sources, is as good
as done.
‘I
cannot deny what is clear in my mind,’ Mourinho said recently. ‘After
Real Madrid, England, that’s for sure. I keep saying the same, I know
clearly.’
He
said he could manage ‘everyone’. That he is ‘a professional’ who would
have to consider offers from other English clubs should they come.
Manchester
City have been linked with a move for Mourinho, while Sir Alex Ferguson
has made no secret of his admiration for his close friend.
When
Ferguson does eventually retire, Mourinho would certainly be among the
leading candidates to replace him, but a move to Manchester now looks
extremely unlikely.
The only area in which Roman Abramovich has shown any consistency since taking over at Chelsea is in his ability to surprise.
Initially,
the billionaire owner did want someone else this summer. But when Pep
Guardiola resisted Abramovich’s advances and opted to take charge at
Bayern Munich for next season , the Russian oligarch was forced to think
again.
Mourinho,
he now realises, is his best option. A manager who is as close as it
gets to someone who can guarantee success. He is a serial winner, having
lifted the league title in all four countries he has worked — Portugal,
England, Italy and Spain — and led Porto and Inter Milan to the
Champions League crown.
Chelsea
Boss Roman Abramovich knows Mourinho is capable of rebuilding a squad
boasting some tremendous talent in players such as Juan Mata, Oscar and
Eden Hazard, but which still requires an overhaul.
And
the Portuguese has dropped the biggest hint yet he’s keen on a return
to Stamford Bridge when his time at the Bernabeu comes to an end.
“I
have an adventurous spirit and do not know what will happen next
season,” Mourinho said. “It’s not easy to choose a new destination after
working in England, Portugal, Italy and Spain.
“Maybe I could return to somewhere I’ve already been. Watch out for surprises.”
Chelsea
interim boss Rafael Benitez has confirmed he will not be staying beyond
the end of this season, with Mourinho and a number of other
high-profile managers continuously linked with the role.
The
50-year-old could yet remain in Madrid, particularly if he guides the
Spanish giants to an unprecedented 10th European Cup crown.
The
old guard, players who served Mourinho with such distinction when they
won back-to-back Premier League titles, needs replacing, even if there
would probably be a renewed desire to see Frank Lampard extend his stay
at the club. But what of the problems of the past? What of the clash of
egos — namely between Abramovich and Mourinho — that led to their split
in 2007?
According
to those same sources, Abramovich and Mourinho have settled their
differences. Chelsea’s owner speaks fondly of his former manager in the
company of friends and associates and stories of gifts that the Russian
has sent to Mourinho are presented as further evidence.
Cristiano
Ronaldo and Co are among the favourites for the title after knocking
out Manchester United to reach the quarter-finals, where they’ll face
Galatasaray.
Mourinho
was spotted house-hunting in London last week and he has already stated
his his intention to return to the Premier League.
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