Posted on: 06:28 Sat, 06 Feb 2016



Manchester United have declined to comment
on reports that the club have held talks with
representatives of Jose Mourinho.

On Friday evening it was reported by the BBC
and the Manchester Evening News that
discussions have taken place.

Mourinho, who left Chelsea in December, is
widely expected to be considered a contender
for the role of United manager should Lo u i s van
Gaal depart Old Trafford in the summer.

United offered no response to the report, the
latest to link Mourinho with Van Gaal’s job.

Van Gaal has a year remaining on his contract
after this season, in which he has attracted
considerable criticism for the defensive, slow
and possession-based style he has brought to
United.

Rivals Manchester City announced on Monday
that Bayern Munich’s former Barcelona boss
Pep Guardiola will become their manager in the
summer, and United will not want to lose ground
on their neighbours.

Mourinho won the Premier League title three
times with Chelsea and has achieved success
wherever he has managed, including Porto, Real
Madrid and Inter Milan.

Van Gaal claimed on Friday that Wayne Rooney
was wrong to say United, who play Mourinho’s
former side Chelsea on Sunday, are now playing
with greater freedom.

United captain Rooney suggested after last
week’s FA Cup victory at Derby that manager
Van Gaal had released some of the shackles on
the team.

These sentiments were echoed by midfielder
Jesse Lingard after United produced one of their
best displays of the season to beat Stoke 3-0 in
the Barclays Premier League in midweek.

But Van Gaal claims it is more a case of Rooney
and Lingard finding form.

He said: “I’m not agreeing with the remark of
Wayne Rooney when he said that because it is
only that they have more confidence.

“And it is especially so with Wayne Rooney, who
is saying that because he has scored seven
goals (in seven games). He can say that he is
playing with more freedom because he has more
confidence.

“But you want to write in your paper that it’s
because he gets another training session in
another style, because Louis van Gaal gives
more freedom – no, it is still the same.
“We train still the same way. It is not because
of the change of attitude of Mr Louis van Gaal
or another way of training. No. I’m sorry to say
that. We are always working hard and very
professionally in the philosophy of Louis van
Gaal.
“And that is also for Jesse Lingard.”

Juan Mata has also impressed in his preferred
number 10 position in the last two games,
leading some observers to ask why the Spaniard
has not played in that role more often.

Van Gaal claims it is because the former
Chelsea man was not in good enough form last
time he tried him there.

He said: “I have already played Mata in the
same role. Maybe you remember that. I’m not
changing him from that role, he has changed
himself because at that time he wasn’t good
enough. That is the reason.

“It is not the trainer-coach or the manager, but
when he is playing like he has played now he
shall play at number 10.”