JOSE: WE ARE ALL HAPPY
United boss says ‘it’s a lie’ he has fallen out with stars ahead of season opener
JOSE MOURINHO has hit back at rumours he has fallen out with some of his Manchester United stars by claiming: “It’s a lie.”
And he said World Cup winner Paul Pogba is “happy” at Old Trafford and is not looking for a move, amid interest from Barcelona.
Pogba, it is understood, is ready to answer Mourinho’s SOS to play against Leicester in tonight’s home Premier League opener – despite having only four days’ pre-season training under his belt.
Mourinho has been dogged by suggestions all is not well in the camp but said: “I have my players and I like my players. I like to work with my players. When you repeat 1,000 times that my relationship with my players is not good, it’s a lie – and repeated 1,000 times it is still a lie.
“I enjoyed last season, the fight to finish in the best position this club has had in five years. And I’m going to enjoy this
season.” He praised Pogba, who returned from his post-World Cup break on Monday and wants to play to ease an injury crisis, with six men out including midfielders Nemanja Matic and Ander Herrera.
Mourinho said: “I see Paul very well. He arrived Monday happy, proud, with a desire to work.
“He worked amazingly well Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and he’s one of the players I have to speak to see how physically and mentally he feels because we need their help.”
Mourinho accepted United’s failure to land a centre-half on deadline day but said Anthony Martial is back at square one after missing nine days of pre-season following the birth of his second child. “He had nine days of no training, no football. So he has to start again. You try to make a case about it but there is no case.”