Posted on: 05:29 Sun, 24 Jan 2016



Jose Mourinho has undertaken a deep and
detailed charm offensive to finally convince
Manchester United he is the man to be their
next manager, sources have told ESPN.

Conscious of opposition to his appointment
among some of the Old Trafford hierarchy,
Mourinho has written a six-page letter explaining
how much he desires the job and would be
willing to conform to club principles, as well as
offering a detailed plan for the team, sources
say.

United’s under-pressure manager Louis van Gaal
lost his sixth league game of the season on
Saturday, 1-0 at home against Southampton, and
there is now a widespread feeling he will go in
the summer, if not before then.

Mourinho, who sources said is “relaxed” about
his future, was himself sacked by Chelsea in
December after a dismal start to the season,
but he immediately targeted United as his next
job — one he has reportedly long desired.

His representatives got in touch with the Old
Trafford hierarchy very quickly, but there is still
existing opposition to hiring him, though some
board members are more open to appointing
him than when Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013,
sources say.

Some power-brokers at United still believe
Mourinho’s history of controversy, defensive
football and hesitance to promote academy
players do not fit with the club’s ideals.

Mourinho is aware of this and sources say this
is one reason he has taken the extraordinary
step of writing a lengthy letter describing how
much he wants the job, with forensic analysis of
the team.