Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has been humble in his role in bringing in Romelu Lukaku to the club, pipping Chelsea during the summer transfer window.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Mourinho didn’t pay any attention to his possible influence in the deal despite having a good relationship with Lukaku during their time at Chelsea. Manchester United and Chelsea appeared to both been in for the lethal Belgian but it was the Red Devils who got their man.
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The Special One had this to say on the move, “I don’t think it was my influence, no. I think we paid the money that Everton asked for and we paid the player the wages that his agent asked for and we paid the agents the commission that they asked for.”.
“I think that was the way. I don’t see another reason. We paid what Everton asked for. The seller club is the club that decides the amount the buying club pays or doesn’t pay. With Romelu my club decided to pay and they got him.” concluded Mourinho.
Jose’s comments come as a bit of a surprise as Lukaku had previously stated it was his admiration for the Manchester United boss as well as their good working relationship that had convinced the talented striker to switch Everton’s blue for Old Trafford’s red. Had their been another manager in charge of the Red Devils, would the left-footed striker still have signed to join the club?
There’s no finding out now but it’s clear the pair do have a good connection with Romelu slotting in seamlessly into Mourinho’s new United team. The players look reinvigorated and ready to cause damage in their manager’s second season in charge. There’s more understanding and better suited footballers working towards a particular style of football.
While Jose has been labelled as a defensive coach, something that he’s openly denied, Manchester United fans couldn’t make it more clear with the Portuguese’s leadership of the team. For the first time in a while, the Red Devils all appear to be on the same page with a clear plan set in place and good confidence running through the club’s players.
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Lukaku may have been one of the final pieces in Mourinho’s jigsaw puzzle with the addition of a winger likely to finally complete the set. For now though, United fans can enjoy a team currently in cohesion and set for a bright future. The question is, is confidence enough to win titles? The club’s rivals will certainly test the red of Manchester with the Premier League now more competitive than ever.