The former Chelsea and Real Madrid boss is expected to be handed a sizeable transfer war chest as he is tasked with turning United back into a force challenging for top honours.
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Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata is reportedly seeking assurances about his future at the club following the appointment of Jose Mourinho. “His track record of success is ideal to take the club forward”, Woodward added.
Reports emerged on Thursday May 26 that Manchester United have appointed Jose Mourinho as manager of the club after months of speculation.
The Portuguese wants everyone associated with the club to forget the three-year period under David Moyes and Louis van Gaal and move forward as he looks to replicate the club’s triumphant history. Mourinho seemed destined to manage United ever since his Porto side eliminated Ferguson’s men en route to winning the 2004 Champions League.
“I remember, for example, when I won at Old Trafford with Real Madrid, I told that the best team lost”.
United finished fifth last season behind champions Leicester, Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester City, thereby failing to qualifying for the lucrative Champions League. “If Mourinho does that at United, the fans will take him to their hearts”.
The old blow-torch will be out for Pep Guardiola, Arsene Wenger, the refereeing community, the media and the rest of the imaginary army which will besiege Old Trafford as soon as things start to go against him.
There are some questions around Mourinho as a fit for United.
United’s two greatest managers, Matt Busby and Alex Ferguson, built their success on youth and the club’s fans are unlikely to react kindly if players like 18-year-old striking sensation Marcus Rashford or teenage full-backs Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson abruptly disappear from view.
“What the players need to listen is: I want to win”, he said. For those who have read Carlo Ancelotti’s account of working with Roman Abramovich, it is perhaps no surprise Mourinho could not make it work.
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The striker played his last game for Paris Saint-Germain last weekend, scoring twice as they beat Marseille 4-2 in the final of the French Cup. It is understood this is United so each party expects Ibrahimovic to play for the club next season.
