Jose Mourinho, presently unemployed following his recent departure from Roma, seems eager to make a return to football, specifically eyeing a second stint as the manager of Manchester United. The 61-year-old Portuguese manager, according to the Daily Mail, is reportedly “keen” on taking charge at Old Trafford once again. A close associate of Mourinho conveyed to the newspaper that there is a sense of “unfinished business” for Mourinho at the club, given how his initial tenure concluded.
Sources suggest that Mourinho has set a personal goal to become the manager of Manchester United again, although the likelihood of this happening in the near future appears slim. Erik ten Hag is currently in the second season of his three-year contract as the manager, and fans are optimistic about his prospects, especially with Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS group taking control of sporting operations.
Mourinho initially took charge of Manchester United in 2016 as the third permanent manager after Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement. In his first season, he successfully attracted high-profile signings such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba, leading the team to victories in the Carabao Cup and Europa League. The 2017/18 season saw Manchester United secure a second-place finish in the Premier League, the club’s highest since the Ferguson era.
However, Mourinho’s tenure faced internal challenges, including friction over the failure to secure key transfer targets and other personnel issues.
The summer transfer window in 2018 highlighted these challenges, with the club signing only Fred, Diogo Dalot, and backup goalkeeper Lee Grant.
Despite a 3-2 comeback win against Newcastle in October 2018, Mourinho’s time at United came to an end just over two months later after a 3-1 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield, marking a run of one win in six league games.
As Mourinho contemplates a potential return to management, the prospect of leading Manchester United again remains a personal ambition. However, the current managerial stability under Erik ten Hag and positive fan sentiment suggest that Mourinho’s desired reunion with Manchester United might face significant hurdles in the immediate future.
