Mourinho wants to stay with Reds beyond his current deal
MANCHESTER UNITED manager Jose Mourinho dismissed talk of a return to Real Madrid and spoke about staying at Old Trafford beyond his current deal.
Never far from scrutiny and speculation this season, talk that the 55-year-old could be pushed out by United has been followed by reports of a return to the Spanish capital.
There could soon be a vacancy at the Bernabeu after a poor start under new boss Julen Lopetegui, leading to talk that Mourinho could return to the club he managed between and 2010 and 2013.
But despite recent ups and downs at Old Trafford the Portuguese insists such a move does not appeal.
Instead Mourinho is plotting a long-term future at United, where his contract runs until 2020 with the option of a further year.
“No, I am happy here,” he said. “I am happy here. I am happy to see out my contract to the very last day of that contract and I would like to stay after my contract runs out as well.
“All I am thinking about at the moment is Manchester United.”
The topic arose in the press conference ahead of today’s Champions League encounter with Juventus, which brings around a reunion with Cristiano Ronaldo.
The 33-year-old remains an Old Trafford hero after his medal-laden spell at the club, while Mourinho knows his compatriot well from their time together in Madrid.
“I thought Cristiano is in a level where he doesn’t need these questions and these answers,” Mourinho said when asked how he rated Ronaldo compared to everyone with whom he has worked.
“He is one of the best players of all time and nobody can tell different than that. He’s one of the best players of all time. It’s as simple as that.” MANCHESTER CITY manager Pep Guardiola says Kyle Walker is in contention to face Shakhtar Donetsk tonight after injury.
The England full-back missed Saturday’s 5-0 Premier League win over Burnley with a groin problem, but could be involved in Ukraine.
Kevin De Bruyne could also start the Champions League Group F clash having played the final half-hour at the weekend.
Guardiola said: “If they are here it is because they are ready to play.”
City head into the clash sitting second in the group, one point behind leaders Lyon after two games as they seek to reach the knockout rounds for a sixth successive year.
The Premier League champions have never got beyond the last four and were eliminated in the quarter-finals last season by Liverpool, losing 5-1 on aggregate.
Guardiola was recently quoted as saying that he did not know if City were ready to win the Champions League yet, adding that the favourites were clubs with a bigger history and tradition.
Elaborating on those comments yesterday Guardiola said: “We are going to put in all effort to win this competition, but from what I saw last season we are not ready, that’s what I feel. That doesn’t mean we are not going to try.”
Guardiola has called on City’s supporters to play their part in the quest for Champions League glory.
He said: “It’s one important thing to win this kind of title, you have to be pushed, not just by the manager, by everyone surrounding Manchester City that we have to win it – and still we don’t have that feeling, the feeling that the fans are pushing that we have to win the Champions League.”