Jose Mourinho has expressed his strong desire to once again take charge of Manchester United, even stating that he would be willing to go to great lengths to make it happen. Despite his enthusiasm, it seems that the club has no intention of rehiring the Portuguese manager.
Mourinho, who was dismissed by United in December 2018, has reportedly shared his aspirations with close associates. Although he maintains a friendship with United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Mourinho does not anticipate any contact from his former club.
Erik ten Hag, the current manager of United, oversaw the team’s 13th loss of the season in a 4-0 defeat by Crystal Palace, setting a new record for the Premier League era.
United currently sit in eighth place in the Premier League standings and are at risk of finishing outside the top seven for the first time since 1990. With 18 defeats this season, it marks the highest number of losses for United in a single season since 1977-78.
United will be facing Manchester City in the FA Cup final on May 25. Ten Hag’s position is currently uncertain due to a disappointing season for United, where they were knocked out of European competitions before Christmas and failed to defend their League Cup title. The club has been considering potential replacements for the Dutchman, as Ratcliffe has not given him full support since acquiring a 27.7% stake in February.
Mourinho took over from Louis van Gaal in May 2016 and led United to victory in the League Cup and Europa League in his first season. Although United finished second in the Premier League and reached the FA Cup final in Mourinho’s second season, he did not receive the necessary support during the 2018 summer transfer window.
Mourinho’s most recent coaching job was at Roma, where he won the Europa Conference League in 2022. Despite reaching the Europa League final last season, Roma lost to Sevilla in a penalty shootout.