Real to be forced to back down over buyout demand?
However, for those concerned that this is going to fall through and Mourinho will end up in the north-west shouldn’t fret just yet as all indications point towards David Moyes succeeding Sir Alex Ferguson but he has to formally extricate himself from Everton as the Red Devils, a listed company on the New York stock exchange, will want to name a successor quickly. The Scot is also the overwhelming favourite with the bookies and a more organic replacement for Ferguson as United announced they don’t want a ‘quick-fix or hired gun’.
Mourinho, has a cup final to contend with as his Real side meet Atletico Madrid at the Bernabeu for a all-capital clash in the Copa del Rey next week. It’s more than likely his agent Jorge Mendes has deliberately leaked the story about the buyout in order to force someone’s hand and that’s most likely going to be Madrid, who will be forced to sack Mourinho anyway (his behaviour is making their position in negotiations weaker) and Roman Abramovich isn’t going to pay, so they’ll fold as they will save in the compensation they’d inevitably have to pay him.
The 50-year-old has said that he does not want one penny out of Real Madrid after he leaves and it seems that backing down against Abramovich is Florentino Perez’s only option, especially as he’s under pressure from players, fans and the powerful Madrid media to excommunicate the Portuguese boss from Los Blancos as soon as possible. Spanish newspaper Marca believe it will all come to a head after next Wednesday’s final.
The Daily Mail reports that the fee to release Mourinho and his back-room staff at Real Madrid is £20 million during the season and open to negotiation during the summer. Considering Roman Abramovich paid £18 million to move them on in 2007 he isn’t going to shell out again, especially as the Stamford Bridge club would actually be saving Real Madrid a headache over a manager whose position is untenable.