Man Utd manager Jose Mourinho signs new contract

Jose Mourinho signs new contract with Manchester United until 2020

Jose Mourinho has reached 100 games as Manchester United manager. He recently agreed to terms and extended his contract with the Red Devils. Mourinho will be at Old Trafford for at least another year, according to his new deal. Mourinho celebrated signing his contract extension by having dinner with his staff at Tapeo & Wine Restaurant in Manchester City center last Thursday night. Tapeo & Wine Restaurant is owned by footballer Juan Mata and his father. Mourinho says he is the "privileged one" after signing a contract extension with Man United until 2020, with an option of a further year. The manager's previous deal expires in 2019, but the Portuguese has furthered his commitment to United. Jose even suggested he might stay on at Old Trafford even longer. Mourinho, who turned 55, continues to live in a hotel and travel to London to see his family, rather than fully commit to life in Manchester. That has not affected the esteem with which he is held in the United boardroom. Mourinho said the confidence he felt from the club owners played a part in his decision to agree to fresh terms, as did the chance to work with the talented group of players he has inherited, signed and developed.

"I feel a privileged one to work with such a fantastic group of boys," Mourinho said. "That was my initial contract, for three years. Now we made the decision to make it clear for everyone: it's not for three, it's for four or five and, who knows, maybe more. I don't sign contracts if I am not happy, so I am really happy with the trust, with the empathy. I did new contracts with Chelsea after being champion, in Inter after winning the Scudetto, Real Madrid after winning La Liga. Here it's just a consequence of my work, and we believe in each other, we are happy with each other. I think I am doing the things that the owners and the board feel are the right things to do for the future of the club and they are showing me also their ambition, their commitment, their desire to go in the right direction." Mourinho said he is hungry for success, motivated, and looks forward to the challenge of restoring United to the glory and status they enjoyed under former manager Sir Alex Ferguson. United won the Europa League and League Cup in the first season after Mourinho was hired to replace Louis van Gaal in May 2016. Mourinho described himself as 'honored' to be United's manager This season, United are in second place in the Premier League 12 points behind their cross-town arch-rivals Manchester City. "That's just the way I am," said Mourinho talking about his ambition. "I am just turning 55, but I feel myself very young, especially as a manager I feel very young. I want to work 10 or 15 more years because I like to do it and I don't see myself doing anything else. The tradition and history of Man United and the ambitions every fan has to go back to that level. But since day one I felt that the owners felt that, shared that ambition with the fans, the board working hard and I have the clear feeling that they will never stop until they reach what they want to reach, which is to go back to success."

Jose has recently hired superstar striker Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal for a record fee. Mourinho has accused Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola of sour grapes over Alexis Sanchez. United beat City to the signing of forward Sanchez after they agreed a swap deal with Arsenal in which Henrikh Mkhitaryan went to Arsenal. Guardiola had long admired Sanchez, but City withdrew from the race to sign the Chile international because they did not want to break the current wage structure at the Etihad Stadium. Sanchez had only six months left on his deal at Arsenal and signed a 4½-year contract at Old Trafford, worth more than £300,000 a week pay, with image rights and bonuses, rose above £500,000. The highest paid footballers at City are on about £220,000 a week, and Guardiola felt offering a significantly higher wage to a new signing could upset the harmony within his squad, taking the moral high ground.

"I think Alexis reminds me a little bit of a metaphor when you see the tree with amazing oranges at the top of the tree and cannot get there," Mourinho said. "You say, 'Oh, I got the lower ones because I don't like the ones at the top'. "You like the ones at the top. They are so nice, so orange, so round, so full of juice but you cannot get there so you say, 'I don't want to go there' or 'I didn't like it, I prefer the other ones'. It reminds me of that story." Alexis Sánchez‏ said on Twitter, "I want to clarify that Thierry Henry never told me to leave the club, it was a personal decision ... he LOVES the club and someday it would be nice to see him as the Arsenal coach because he loves the club ... Thierry Henry adds on Twitter, "I know I don't need to explain this to the majority of Arsenal fans but contrary to speculation at no time did I tell Alexis Sanchez to leave Arsenal. I had no idea he was going to sign for Man Utd until I saw it on the news like the rest of you."

Mourinho feels justified about Sanchez's earnings on the basis that, if his contract at Arsenal had not been up at the end of the season, his value would have been even more. "We have to put things in perspective," Mourinho added. "How much would Alexis Sanchez cost in a normal transfer, club to club, as a player with two or three years of contract? We look to the numbers now and I would say roughly between £100-150 million. So, you put things in perspective: you go to the numbers that the club didn't pay on the transfer. You go to the numbers that the club pays in salaries, which are obviously higher than others, but you put things in perspective. You get a calculator and you arrive at different conclusions." Paul Pogba and Alexis Sanchez are costly signings that will add excitement and freshness to the squad. Alexis Sanchez who scored 80 goals for Arsenal has moved from a "fantastic club to a giant club" after joining Manchester United from Arsenal, says his new boss Jose Mourinho. The Chilean striker moved to Old Trafford in a swap with Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan heading the other way. Mourinho said it was "a great deal for everybody". Sanchez made his debut for Manchester United on the squad for United's winning FA Cup fourth round tie at Yeovil on Friday as the Red Devils went through to the fifth round. Sanchez, 29, who almost joined Man City last summer, has signed a four-and-a-half-year deal worth £14m a year after tax. Lexi scored 80 times for Arsenal following a £30m move from Barcelona in July 2014, and was last season's top scorer with 30 goals in all competitions.

"We've got one of the best-attacking players in the world," said Mourinho. "He is very important for us because we want the best possible players. Because he has been in England for quite a long time, I think everybody knows the player he is, I think everybody knows what he did at Arsenal. I try not to speak about what he did before in Spain and Italy but in the Premier League he has shown the quality he has." Former Borussia Dortmund player Mkhitaryan, 29, who scored 13 goals in 63 appearances for United, including one in last season's Europa League final victory over Ajax went to Arsenal in the deal. Mkhi made only 10 Premier League starts this season. "I think it was a fantastic deal and a fantastic deal is only fantastic if it is good for everybody," said Mourinho. "United and Arsenal made a fantastic deal, I lost a fantastic player, Mr. Wenger lost a fantastic player, Alexis changed from a fantastic club to a giant club and Mkhi changed for a fantastic club, so was a great deal for everybody.I believe Mkhi is going to be even better than he was with us. With one-and-a-half years in England, he has adapted, I think is a good move for everybody, that's why I'm also happy for Mkhi. Could he perform better with us? Could I take more from his talent? Maybe. Could he give a little more also to adapt to us? Maybe, but I don't think regrets, he is in our history."

Mourinho was asked if he has his eye on Real Madrid striker Cristiano Ronaldo. When Sir Alex Ferguson was Man Utd manager, Cristiano Ronaldo scored 118 goals in 292 games for Manchester United. Mourinho managed Spanish La Liga side Real Madrid from 2010 - 2013, winning one league title and one Copa del Rey. Real are struggling under manager Zinedine Zidane this campaign, being knocked out of the domestic cup by Leganes and19 points adrift of Spanish La Liga leaders Barcelona. Ex-United forward and current Ballon d'Or holder Cristiano Ronaldo continues to be linked with a return to his former club. "Every manager wants Ronaldo," replied Mourinho. "I think I should be the last one to add some fuel to the fire. Madrid is on fire, the results are not good and it is a club where I worked three years, I care about the club. To put some water on the fire, Cristiano Ronaldo is the kind of player every manager and every club wants but only one manager and one club can have which is Zidane and Real Madrid, that is my feeling."

Jose has already achieved a great deal as Manchester United manager. Mourinho led United to Europa League glory last season. United will hopefully return to something resembling the attack-minded football of the Fergie days. To date, United have kept the most clean sheets (31) and conceded the fewest goals per game (0.73) in the Premier League since Jose Mourinho was appointed as manager. Now, his commitment with the club is until at least 2020. His work rate and noted professionalism are exceptional and he has embraced the club's desire to promote top quality young players to the first team. He has brought an energy and a sense of purpose to everything that he does. Jose will no doubt continue to bring results for the owners and supporters of the club as he and his side battle for glory and silverware to put in United's trophy cabinet. Of note, Mourinho decided to live in a hotel in Manchester and commute to London to be with his family, rather than buy a house, The Lowry hotel will be delighted with the news. Reportedly at £816 a night for his room, an extra year of Mourinho will profit the hotel £297,840.

Manchester United have topped the Deloitte Football Money League for the tenth time, beating Real Madrid to top spot by just £1.5m. The Red Devils are the highest revenue-generating club in world football with revenues of £581m over the 2016-17 season. Real Madrid are in second place, with Barcelona third, Bayern Munich fourth and Manchester City in fifth. Manchester United's achievement in retaining top spot was put down to their success in the Europa League. Jose Mourinho guided them to victory in Europe's second-tier competition, generating €44.5m. Dan Jones, partner in the Sports Business Group at Deloitte, said: 'United's ability to retain first position is all the more impressive against the backdrop of the weakened Pound against the Euro, and with both Real Madrid and FC Barcelona forecasting further revenue growth in 2017/18, the battle at the top will likely come down to on-pitch performance again next year.' The financial strength of the Premier League is made clear by the latest figures from the annually published report. 10 of the top 20 clubs are from the English top-flight, with Southampton making their debut in the top 20. Meanwhile, Arsenal climbed above Paris St Germain to sixth.

Football Money - 2016-17 Revenue (2015-16 Revenue)
1. Manchester United £581.2 (£515.3)
2. Real Madrid £579.7 (£463.8)
3. FC Barcelona £557.1 (£463.8)
4. Bayern Munich £505.1 (£442.7)
5. Manchester City £453.5 (£392.6)
6. Arsenal £419 (£350.4)
7. Paris Saint-Germain £417.8 (£389.6)
8. Chelsea £367.8 (£334.6)
9. Liverpool £364.5 (£302)
10. Juventus £348.6 (£253.5)
11. Tottenham Hotspur £305.6 (£209.2)
12. Borussia Dortmund £285.8 (£212.3)
13. Atlético de Madrid £234.2 (£171)
14. Leicester City £233 (£128.7)
15. Internazionale £225.2 (£134)
16. Schalke 04 £197.8 (£167.9)
17. West Ham United £183.3 (£143.8)
18. Southampton £182.3 (£124.3)
19. Napoli £172.5 (£107.8)
20. Everton £171.2 (£121.5)