Chelsea’s interim manager Rafael Benitez has put fuel to the flames when it comes to the daily rumours that are linking Jose Mourinho with a return to West London in the summer.
He’s currently cuts an isolated figure at the Santiago Bernabeu as he’s being frozen out by Real Madrid’s influential players who are counting down the days until he departs and he has never looked so vulnerable as he revealed that he may return to a place where he is ‘loved’. John Terry also admitted that a few players are in frequent contact with Mourinho and that the Portuguese manager is always interested to know what’s going on at Stamford Bridge.
Now Benitez, relaxed about his own future, has even suggested Mourinho is to succeed him as he reiterated that he will leave his post at the end of the season:
“The next year there will be another manager. I think everybody knows who will be here.”
This peaked the interest in the press but the Spaniard refused to be pressed further:
“I think I will concentrate on my job now.”
Jorge Mendes, Mourinho’s agent, reportedly told Italy’s Radio Mana Mana that there was an 80% chance that his client will be returning to England to manage Chelsea. So the rumours are coming in from all angles and it’s especially odd to see a manager hint at his successor whilst still in the job himself.
Spanish publication Marca are also convinced that Mourinho is leaving Real Madrid and that he’s Chelsea’s man, whilst predicting that everything will come to a head after the Copa del Rey between Real and Atletico Madrid on May 17th. Hopefully we do know by then but I’m guessing it won’t be too long after the end of the season that we will see something official anyway. I’m sure that Chelsea will want to announce the new manager before their post-season tour at the end of May if only for the publicity.
Wish we knew sooner rather than later, all the speculation and whispers….certainly been a turbulent heart pumping few months for us all 🙂