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Hot Football Transfer Gossip: Mourinho, Kroos, Douglas, Pogba, Higuain, Balotelli
Jose Mourinho has never come across as the most insecure or sensitive soul, but it appears that even the Portuguese coaching colossus can be a bit needy in relationships sometimes. He just needs to feel wanted. Or, to put it another way, special.
Mourinho’s recent courtship with Manchester United seemed to be going smoothly from the outside, but the manager was apparently unhappy with the lack of commitment he was getting from Red Devils boardroom hunk Ed Woodward. But Mourinho knows the best way to get a man’s attention is to make him jealous, so he indulged in a little bit of flirting with his ex.
After exchanging a few texts with Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti, his former chairman, Mourinho arranged to attend Inter’s match against Sampdoria on Saturday evening. Then he sat back waiting for the phone to ring - and it did.
According to the Sun, Woodward made a “frantic call” to Mourinho’s agent Jorge Mendes after getting wind of the coach’s conversations with Moratti. The tabloid reports that Woodward sounded “stressed” as he asked Mendes if the Inter stuff was “serious”. Chair men - they’re so predictable.
And sure enough, before he knew it Woodward was on his knees making a proposal. The Mirror says that United have made a “desperate plea” for Mourinho to take over from Louis van Gaal before the end of the season.
The Dutchman has “lost the confidence” of United’s senior players following Thursday’s Europa League defeat by FC Midtjylland, reports the Guardian, and Mourinho is apparently the man the squad want to replace him.
The Express adds that Van Gaal has three games to save his job, starting with this weekend’s FA Cup tie at Shrewsbury, with a second leg against Midtjylland and a league clash against Arsenal coming up after that.
The Mail reckons United’s other board members believe the “dithering” Woodward should have sacked LVG already, with one “club insider” reportedly describing the exec as a “rabbit in the headlights”.
Perhaps Woodward is jealous of rivals Manchester City for already announcing their new manager and giving him carte blanche to sign all the players he wants.
Spanish media outlet AS says Pep Guardiola will target Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos in the summer, Talksport claims the incoming City boss wants to bring winger Douglas Costa with him to the Etihad from Bayern Munich, while the Sun reports that Paul Pogba has “opened the door” to a move to City by admitting he would love to work with a coach he calls “an icon of football”.
Meanwhile, Arsenal have been told they have “no chance” of signing Napoli striker Gonzalo Higauin (Standard), Sunderland failed in a bid for Fiorentina striker Khouma Babacar last month (Newcastle Chronicle) and Man Utd have contacted Athletic Bilbao about £38m-rated defender Aymeric Laporte (Star).
Finally, the Liverpool Echo reports that Mario Balotelli’s Anfield career is “over” and the Reds are “hopeful of recouping most of the £16m they paid for him”. Which could mean only one thing: Super Mario Goes to China!
