Mourinho agrees terms with United – Sky TV

LONDON — English soccer’s biggest club seem to have secured the services of the sport’s most colorful manager after Jose Mourinho, according to Sky TV reports, agreed personal terms with Manchester United Tuesday. After a trophy-laden career with Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid, Mourinho is set to replace Dutchman Louis van Gaal, who was sacked Monday, with a remit to bring back the glory days the club once took for granted under Alex Ferguson. The 53-year-old, sacked by Chelsea in December seven months after winning his third Premier League title at the London club over two spells, had been constantly linked with the United job as Van Gaal struggled to make an impression at Old Trafford. Van Gaal’s preferred possession-dominated playing style at a club more readily associated with fast, direct attacking, was widely criticized, and it appeared to take his players time to adapt. Mourinho is also known for pragmatism, however, relying on a strong defensive foundation and hard-working midfielders and strikers. He has a history of success wherever he has managed and a proven track record in the English game. Mourinho won the UEFA Cup and Champions League as well as the domestic double twice in his two seasons at Porto and led Chelsea to its first top-flight title in 50 years in his first campaign, retaining it the following season. He also won the League Cup and FA Cup before moving to Inter where he won Serie A as well as the Champions League and Italian Cup. Mourinho helped Real to its first La Liga crown in four years and on returning to Chelsea, he again won the Premier League before an unexpectedly poor — and troubled — start to the 2015-16 season led to his sacking. His imminent appointment at Old Trafford, touted in the media for months, will divide opinion but while some have voiced concern over playing style and potentially explosive personality clashes, he is widely considered to be as close to a guarantee of silverware as a manager can be. The challenge will be not only to deliver success but to do it in style. Van Gaal’s FA Cup triumph was not enough to allow him to see out the final year of his contract on the back of a season in which the club’s fans routinely voiced their frustration with the safety-first football being served up. Mourinho is not known for throwing caution to the wind but fans will hope that under his leadership United will at least not again be ranked top in the Premier League for the number of backwards passes made as they were under Van Gaal. There will also be pressure for the new man to continue the good work of his predecessor in bringing young players such as Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard to the fore, something else Mourinho has singularly failed to do at most of his previous clubs. However, after three seasons without a league title and with no Champions League football for a second time in three years, the United hierarchy is evidently prepared to accept potential downsides if the ‘Special One’ gets the club back to what they consider to be their rightful place at the sport’s top table. Arsenal confirms Xhaka deal Arsenal announced the signing of Switzerland midfielder Granit Xhaka from Borussia Moenchengladbach Wednesday. The Premier League side said the deal has yet to be officially ratified, but terms have been agreed with the 23-year-old. “Arsenal have reached an agreement with Granit Xhaka to join the club on a long-term contract for an undisclosed fee,” said a statement from the North Londoners. Xhaka, the son of Kosovo Albanian immigrants, has represented Switzerland 41 times and helped Gladbach to a fourth place finish this season, bringing with it Champions League football. Gladbach had said last week that it had received an offer for Xhaka, who then admitted he could see himself playing in an Arsenal shirt. “Granit Xhaka is an exciting young player, already with good Champions League and Bundesliga experience,” said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger of his first close season signing. The transfer is still to be officially completed but Arsenal has confirmed Xhaka’s contract will begin on July 1.