Manchester United offer Jose Mourinho assurances over club's plans for director of football role

Hired help | Senior sources insist it is not a matter of wanting Mourinho out
Action Images via Reuters

Jose Mourinho has been given assurances he will not have a director of football forced upon him at Manchester United.

In a show of support for the under pressure manager, United have told Mourinho he will be consulted on any move to appoint a buffer between him and the board.

Executive vice chairman Ed Woodward is continuing to make structural changes behind the scenes - and a director of football or technical director is seen as a key part of that process.

But there is an acceptance at board level they cannot thrust an appointment on Mourinho - and if they cannot find a candidate who the Portuguese is prepared to work with, they will shelve plans to fill the role.

Crucially, senior sources insist it is not a matter of wanting Mourinho out. Instead it is seen as another indication he will be given every chance to turn the club’s fortunes around after a difficult start to the season.

United began the process of trying to introduce a football presence at board level after a chaotic summer in the transfer market.

Mourinho was left frustrated by his failure to secure a top class centre back after moves for Toby Alderweireld, Jerome Boateng and Yerry Mina were all vetoed by the club’s hierarchy.

Woodward set about identifying an ideal candidate to act as a buffer in future windows and provide a more focused approach to United’s transfer strategy.

Photo: EPA/Chema Moya
EPA/Chema Moya

Atletico Madrid’s respected Andrea Berta (above) was a leading contender, while Juventus’ Fabio Paratici was also highly recommended.

RB Leipzig’s Paul Mitchell (below), formerly of Tottenham and Southampton, has been a long-term consideration for United.

Photo: BBC
BBC

But there is a realisation among the hierarchy that it will would be wrong to impose an appointment on their existing manager, if he is not fully on board with the candidate.

They are adamant they respect his status as one of the most successful managers in the world and are determined not to destabilise his position.

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Mourinho is yet to voice his opinion on the prospect of working with a director of football, but has made little attempt to hide his dissatisfaction with United’s strategy in the summer.

What has been notable is his praise of Juve’s transfer dealings in recent weeks, which saw the Italian champions sign Cristiano Ronaldo in the summer.

But rather than the Italians’ structure, it has been their ambition that has impressed him.

“One thing is to compliment Juventus, but it’s another to give my opinion on how Manchester United should or shouldn’t be organised at that level,” he said over the weekend.

“But for me, the biggest compliment to Juventus is not even about their structure.

“My compliment is about the philosophy and the basic things behind the philosophy.

“In the tunnel, before the game, I was speaking with Mr Agnelli and I was telling him ‘since I left Inter, you have seven titles in a row and it looks like the eighth is coming.’

“And he told me: ‘I don’t want the eighth. I want 10 in a row.’ I think that’s a fantastic answer and a fantastic statement.

“They have won seven in a row, but they bought Cristiano and (Leonardo) Bonucci and (Emre) Can and (Joao) Cancelo.

“They always want more and more and more. I think the objective of the club is happiness related to football results and they are going to chase that treble.”

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