José Mourinho had a two-year spell as Manchester United manager, where he won the Carabao Cup and Europa League.
José Mourinho has already made a sensational statement about Manchester United to his confidants, after he was set up as the favourite to replace compatriot Ruben Amorim.
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United lost another league game on Sunday, with a 2-0 defeat at home to West Ham, and dropped to 16th place – with only 24 points since Amorim arrived.
However, it has been a very different story in the Europa League, where United have reached the final after an unbeaten streak that includes victories over Lyon, Real Sociedad and Athletic Club.
A win over Tottenham – and subsequent qualification for next season’s Champions League – could camouflage a disastrous season in the Premier League and ease some of the pressure on Amorim ahead of the summer transfer window.
But one bookmaker has already cut the odds of Mourinho returning to Old Trafford if Amorim is sacked.
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Mourinho’s first spell at United
After being sacked from Chelsea, Mourinho took over United in 2016 and won the Europa League, Carabao Cup and Community Shield, as well as finishing second behind Manchester City in the 2017/18 season.
He was fired in December 2018 and has since coached Tottenham, Roma and current club Fenerbahçe. Betfair are now offering odds of 4-1 for Mourinho to get a second spell at United.
Mourinho wants new challenge in England
Mourinho, who has been frustrated with refereeing in UEFA competitions, has said he is looking for a new job at a “club at the bottom of English football that needs a coach in two years’ time” – and United could fall into that category given their recent slump.
“I would walk to Manchester”
According to a report by Samuel Luckhurst in the Manchester Evening News last year, Mourinho has told those closest to him that he “would love” to coach United again and would even “walk to Manchester” to get the chance.
The two-time Champions League-winning manager is also friends with INEOS boss and United minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe – and has stated that he “loved” his first spell at the club, where he had a 58.33% win rate.
“I loved it, I loved my time there,” Mourinho said, according to talkSPORT.
“I was so proud to get there. I was even prouder when I returned as a commentator for Sky alongside Roy Keane and noticed the crowd’s reaction. I thought, “Wow.”
“I always felt like we were together during my time there, but that reaction touched me. I loved my time there.
“The club, the history, everything – to be the coach of the same club as Sir Alex Ferguson… You have to feel it, you have to feel the pride and the responsibility, and I did.
Current situation in Fenerbahçe
Mourinho returned to the managerial profession with Fenerbahçe in the summer, and his team are now in second place in the Turkish Süper Lig – eight points behind league leaders Galatasaray.
With United’s poor record and Amorim under a lot of pressure, the speculation about a Mourinho return is only getting stronger. Will there be a reunion with “The Special One”?
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