Jose Mourinho knows 'nothing' about Man United opening, plans return soon

Posted Friday, May 13, 2016 by ESPN

Jose Mourinho is certain he will be back in management before the start of next season but claims to "know nothing" about a move to Manchester United.

Mourinho has been strongly linked with taking over Manchester United ever since leaving Chelsea in December -- with sources telling ESPN FC last month that the Portuguese was still confident of going to Old Trafford despite Louis van Gaal currently being in charge.

The 53-year-old, whose second spell at Chelsea ended midway through this season's disastrous defence of their Premier League title, was back in the dugout on Wednesday in the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City to coach a FIFA Legends team, featuring Ronaldinho and Fabio Cannavaro, against a Mexican All-Stars side.

Managing a team again, albeit for an exhibition ahead of the FIFA Congress, had whetted Mourinho's appetite for a return to coaching.

"Of course I miss [it]," Mourinho told The Associated Press. "In July I will be back. So we are in May. May to July is nothing. I keep enjoying my life which I'm doing, keep enjoying my family. But in July I am back."

Asked when he needs to sign a contract by, the London-based Mourinho responded: "June 30 -- that's fine."

Jose Mourinho knows 'nothing' about Man United opening, plans return soon
Jose Mourinho has been consistently linked with Louis van Gaal's job at Manchester United ever since he left Chelsea.

Manchester United has not publicly denied months of reports that Van Gaal will leave Old Trafford at the end of the season and be replaced by Mourinho. The 64-year-old Dutchman is coming to the end of the second year of his three-year contract, and he could end the campaign with a trophy if United beat Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final on May 21.

However, his future remains uncertain with a fourth-place finish in the Premier League now out of his hands. To qualify for next season's Champions League, United need to beat Bournemouth and rely on Manchester City losing to Swansea City on the final day of the season on Sunday.

"I don't know. I know nothing about it really," Mourinho said, when asked by the AP about being hired by United.

"I don't have a club and I was waiting for these guys [the FIFA Legends] to win the match to give me a hand but because I lost the match [9-8] it's even more difficult to get the club."