JOSE ...... 1 CONTE...0
Lukaku signing gives boss the edge over former club ahead of season
AS ever, Jose Mourinho chose his words carefully.
“It is only natural that he wants to develop his career at the biggest club,” he said upon confirmation of Romelu Lukaku’s move to United.
And with that he declared war on Chelsea – revealed his burning desire to redress the balance of power in English football.
The wounds from his bitter end at Stamford Bridge will not heal quickly.
The sight of his former players romping to the title in his absence only compounding the issue.
Frustratingly for Mourinho, he was not armed with a squad capable of genuinely taking the fight to Antonio Conte’s side in his first season at Old Trafford.
But the signing of Lukaku, he believes, is a major statement in his bid to return United to the summit of English football next season.
The Belgian’s arrival is seen as doubly significant to Mourinho.
Not only does he fill the position the United manager identified as a priority in his side – replacing Zlatan Ibrahimovic with more energy, but a comparable strike-rate. But signing him ahead of Chelsea also denies Conte of his top target this summer.
The suggestion Lukaku was joining the ‘biggest club’ was a case of ‘trolling,’ Mourinho-style.
In reality, it was the United manager, rather than the shirt, that proved pivotal to Lukaku rejecting the chance of a return to his boyhood idols Chelsea.
It was a personal triumph for the man who was cast aside five months after delivering his third Premier League title to Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea officials were convinced the 24-year-old wanted to rejoin the club he left three years ago – when sold by Mourinho.
Sources close to Lukaku insisted that was his desire – to emulate his hero Didier Drogba in the blue shirt.
But that was to understimate Mourinho’s influence – the manager who created the Chelsea side that fired the imagination of a young Lukaku.
It was Mourinho who brought Drogba to the Premier League. Mourinho who made Chelsea one of the powerful forces of the Premier League era. And it was the chance to work with the Portuguese that Lukaku could not resist. “That is the most exciting part,” he said. “Me and him, we have a really good relationship and I always dreamed to play under him since I was 10. “To have the opportunity at 24 to work under him and to be part of his plans for challenges for trophies is exciting. “I think he is a manager to help us to win trophies and I can’t wait to start working under him again.” Mourinho knows he has considerable ground to make up on Chelsea, who finished 24 points ahead of United. But his plans to usurp them began back in March, when drawing up an extensive list of transfer targets that would be boiled down to four key signings. Interest in Antoine Griezmann had to be cooled when Ibrahimovic
Me and him, we have a really good relationship. I dreamed to play under him since I was 10 Lukaku on Mourinho
damaged knee ligaments – making Lukaku the favoured option to fill the No.9 shirt.
Victor Lindelof is the partner for Eric Bailly, with Mourinho believing the pair will prove the bedrock of his defence.
Interest in Ivan Perisic is ongoing, while a holding midfielder is now the most important role to fill, following the acquisition of Lukaku. Mourinho hopes to have his summer business completed before United return from their summer tour here in the US – preferably within the next week.
Should he succeed in that, he believes United will be ready to resume their place at the pinaccle of English football - at the expense of a certain Chelsea.