Football - Paper Round: Mourinho 'a cert' for return to Chelsea

 

 

Both the Daily Star and the Daily Mirror are reporting that Mourinho has effectively agreed to return to the club where he won two league titles and firmly established himself as "The Special One."

The stories in both papers are pretty similar with Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, who was NOT detained by the FBI in the United States on Monday, believed to have already told the Real Madrid boss that he wants him back.
Mourinho has "provisionally agreed" to take the job and although the Star says he "looks a cert" to take the job, he does still have some conditions before inking the deal.
"He is not keen on taking charge at Stamford Bridge if the Blues do not qualify for the Champions League," reports the Star, meaning Chelsea fans will need Benitez to get the job done for the rest of the season if they are to ultimately get their dream appointment.
The Star continues: "Mourinho is also believed to have a list of demands that include getting rid of chief executive Ron Gourlay and technical director Michael Emenalo.
"(And) He has a list of transfer targets, which he will want assurances over."
However, a number of factors are pointed out that make the Chelsea move look likely. Mourinho has recently purchased a house in West London and his 16-year-old daughter has enrolled Camberwell Art College.
Porto youth team coach, Rui Sa Lemos, also said on Twitter that Stamford Bridge would be Mourinho’s home next year adding: "I'm not guessing, I’m giving news."
Manchester City are also said to be keen on Mourinho, but he is not keen on that position as he still hold ambitions of one day joining Manchester United and he believes taking the City job would rule him out a potential replacement for Sir Alex Ferguson.
The Mirror says that "Mourinho and Abramovich HAVE reached a provisional agreement for the Portuguese to take over from interim Rafa Benitez this summer on a three-year contract;" before listing the same potential stumbling blocks as the Star with an additional one being that there are also rumours that Mourinho has agreed a deal with PSG too as a way to keep his options open if Abramovich does not bow down to all his demands.
"Anzhi Makhachkala's Dutch veteran Guus Hiddink (has been) lined up as a potential fall-back option if the Mourinho move goes wrong," they report.
Mourinho was believed to be at Stamford Bridge on Monday as a guest of the Brazilian FA for their friendly against Russia but kept an uncharacteristically low profile.
"The 50-year-old has not agreed to go back to Stamford Bridge yet, because he does not want to be disrespectful to Real Madrid, who he hopes will win him a third Champions League following success with Porto and Inter," reports the Star.
One of the bedrocks of Mourinho’s great Chelsea teams was of course John Terry but he could make a shock summer move to Turkish side Fenerbahce according to the Daily Mail.
"The Turkish side are eager to compete with rivals Galatasaray for big-name signings and have earmarked the 32-year-old as a potential recruit," the paper says.
"Terry still has a year left on contract and will wait until the summer before making any decision on whether to leave Stamford Bridge."
While Chelsea, along with Arsenal and Manchester City, are keeping tabs on Birmingham City’s 17-year-old striker Koby 'King' Arthur, who only arrived in Britain from Ghana 12 months ago and is close to be fast-tracked into the Blues' starting line-up.
Arthur has yet to sign a full professional deal with Birmingham who now "fear they could lose him for minimal compensation if he were to decide against committing his future to St Andrew's and move elsewhere."
Some other titbits for the papers and Fulham, Stoke and Everton have all joined the race for Vitesse Arnhem striker Wilfried Bony who we reported on Monday’s Paper Round was the number transfer target for West Ham.
Manchester United continue to monitor Stoke goalkeeper Asmir Begovic after scouts watched him play for Bosnia against Greece on Friday. (Daily Mail)
West Ham United hope to sit down with Sam Allardyce within seven days to discuss a new contract - ending doubts over the manager’s future. (Daily Telegraph)
And finally, former Southampton boss Nigel Adkins should be named as the new manager of Reading on Tuesday. (Various)