‘Man Utd still have players I didn’t want!’ – Who is Jose Mourinho talking about?

Robin Bairner

• 22 Apr 2024 14:05 BST
• 4 min read

Jose Mourinho might have left Manchester United in 2018 but he cannot stop talking about the Old Trafford club.

The Portuguese is presently out of work after being sacked by Roma earlier this season, with speculation raging that he will return to work in the summer. His destination, though, is unclear.

Mourinho has worked with a string of major clubs, achieving success almost everywhere he has been, yet at Man Utd, he fell short of his standards.

READ MORE: Mourinho slams Man Utd's UNPROFESSIONAL transfer policy

The 2016/17 EFL Cup and Europa League were both claimed by the Red Devils, yet Mourinho expected more at such a club.

Since he has moved on, Man Utd have continued to tread water, first with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and now with Erik ten Hag.

Reflecting on the club from the outside, he is astonished to see certain characters remaining from his time, hinting at the degree of decay that has set in.

READ MORE: Ten Hag close to sack as Man Utd contact Champions League winner to step in

“There are still a couple of players still at Man Utd that I didn’t want five or six years ago,” Mourinho complained to the Telegraph.

“I think they represent a little bit what I consider not the best professional profile to a club of a certain dimension.”

Which Man Utd players is Mourinho talking about?

There are few players left in the Manchester United squad from Jose Mourinho’s time, but it is relatively easy to narrow down who he is speaking about.

Although Marcus Rashford has lately been criticised for his lack of professionalism, the England attacker is unlikely to be one of the players targeted by the former Chelsea and Real Madrid boss.

Instead, Anthony Martial and Luke Shaw are likely to be the unnamed stars Mourinho is pointing the finger at. He fell out with both during his time at Old Trafford.

READ MORE: Latest Man Utd transfer rumours

Martial’s relationship with the Portuguese got off on the wrong footing as Zlatan Ibrahimovic was given his No.9 shirt.

“During the holidays, Mourinho sent me a message to ask if I want to change to the No.11, explaining to me that it is great because it was worn by Ryan Giggs, a club legend,” Martial later explained.

“I told him that I have the greatest respect for Giggs, but that I prefer to keep my No.9. When I returned to the club, I see my jersey with the No.11 - the story did not start well! He disrespected me, straight up.”

Luke Shaw, meanwhile, admitted: “Our relationship wasn't the best. It was probably quite easy to see that from the outside.”