Jose Mourinho 'wants shock Manchester United return' amid Erik ten Hag struggle | OneFootball

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Jose Mourinho wants to make a shock return to Manchester United, reports claim.

The struggling Red Devils could be on the lookout for a new manager in the months ahead amid serious question marks over Erik ten Hag’s future following a dismal Premier League season that hit a new low with Monday night’s 4-0 thrashing by Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

The latest speculation claims that United will not sack the under-fire Ten Hag before their FA Cup final showdown with Manchester rivals City on May 25, though adds that many of the current first-team squad still expect him to be replaced this summer regardless of what happens at Wembley.

The list of contenders for the United job should it become vacant once again in the difficult post-Sir Alex Ferguson era would be lengthy, with the likes of Thomas Tuchel, Gareth Southgate, Graham Potter, Roberto De Zerbi, Zinedine Zidane and Julian Nagelsmann just some of the managers linked with the position so far, while Ten Hag himself has been mentioned in connection with a possible return to former club Ajax or move to succeed Tuchel at Bayern Munich.

Shock return: Jose Mourinho wants to manage Manchester United again

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According to the Manchester Evening News, Mourinho has said privately that he would “walk” to Old Trafford in order to take on the job again, but crucially that he does not expect to receive an approach from United co-owner and friend Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

The self-proclaimed ‘Special One’ of course managed United previously for two years between 2016-18, winning the Europa League, League Cup and Community Shield before being sacked amid a perceived lack of progress with the club sitting sixth in the Premier League despite a hefty transfer spend.

Until last season’s Carabao Cup win over Newcastle at Wembley under Ten Hag finally ended the long drought, Mourinho had been the last United boss to win a major trophy for some six years.

Since being sacked by United, the former Chelsea, Porto, Inter Milan and Real Madrid boss has had spells at Tottenham and Roma and is currently out of work having been dismissed by the latter after two-and-a-half years at the helm in January.

Mourinho has been linked with several job opportunities since then both in Europe and at international level, while he has been heavily linked with a move to Saudi Arabia amid the latest reported interest from second-tier side Al-Qadsiah.