An interview Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho did for ESPN Brazil got a whole lot of worldwide attention this week, due to the fact that he was discussing his time working with Ballon d’Or candidate Mohamed Salah. Mourinho said that it was decision to buy Salah from Basel and bring him to Chelsea, while the decision to sell the Egyptian to Roma was out of his hands and made by his superiors.
The day after the interview, Mourinho was asked about it, with the very first question, in his weekly news conference. The result was a four minute rant, and the whole narrative was so dominant that it essentially overshadowed another, and arguably more news worthy component of that ESPN Brazil interview.
United are expected to have a very busy summer transfer window, as they will have a strong need for new midfielders. Mourinho made comments hinting that his club will be acquiring a Brazilian this offseason.
“I think that a team without a Brazilian isn’t a team, but also, a squad with three or four Brazilian athletes, depending on their profile, cannot make a great team too,” Mourinho said.
“I’m kidding! I think their talent is fantastic and the creativity of the Brazilian player cannot be measured. If a European team, like, very European, could have a Brazilian in their squad, it would bring a ‘Brazilian thing’ to the game and I think that’s very important.”
“”I worked with Brazilian players in every team I coached, and I enjoyed [them] a lot, everything they can give and also every problem they can create! But honestly, I enjoyed a lot, and who knows we can have a Brazilian in the squad next year,” Mourinho added.
So in the words of 80s Australian pop act Men at Work, “who can it be now?”
Well, it almost certainly will not be Chelsea forward Willian, of whom Mourinho is a big admirer from their days together at Stamford Bridge. It’s been very public, Mourinho/United’s interest in Willian, but the Portugese admits that this is one deal that won’t likely be happening.
“I don’t believe it will be Willian, because Chelsea won’t make it possible.”
Multiple outlets have linked United to two Brazilians this silly season, or pre silly season,Shakhtar Donetsk’s Fred and Juventus defender Alex Sandro. Fred would fit in with their midfield needs while Sandro, a well known Chelsea target, could replace Luke Shaw at left back, with the young Englishman once again in the manager’s doghouse and thus likely to move on this summer.
With Michael Carrick retiring and Marouane Fellaini likely leaving, it’s clear that midfield will be at the top of the United shopping list this summer.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and the Tribune company’s blogging community Chicago Now.
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