Mourinho's next move

By David Lee Wheatley

Jose wants English return

Real Madrid meet Galatasaray tonight in a Champions League quarter-final first leg tie, whilst Real head coach Jose Mourinho continues to play cat-and-mouse with English clubs over a return to these shores.

The former Chelsea boss makes no secret of his desire to make England his next destination after he completes his Spanish odyssey in Madrid, but refuses to go further in confirming or denying that this summer will see his long-awaited Premier League reappearance.

The darling of the English media, Jose has endured a much frostier relationship with the Spanish press (as well as the Italians when with Inter) and his constant bickering with Spanish football writers is one reason why his leaving Madrid will be imminent.

The Portuguese tactician repeatedly states his love of England and the country's football, while pointing out that it is certain that he "must be back" in the British Isles to manage a team at some point.

He speaks of a possible return to his "home" Chelsea, while also making off-the-cuff suggestions of an interest in the two Manchester clubs.

This angling and posturing is all part of another Mourinho masterplan to eventually facilitate a move back to the Premier League where he is loved and adored by the majority of the media and fans alike. Rumours of PSG interest in him have muddied the waters somewhat, but he maintains England as his preferred destination should he opt to leave Madrid between this summer and 2016 when his current contract runs out at the Bernabeu.

With Alex Ferguson looking likely to remain at the Old Trafford helm for some time yet, it'd appear that former club Chelsea and Roberto Mancini's Manchester City are the most appealing candidate clubs for Jose to join. Mancini is under pressure after losing his grip on the league title he won last season, and in this era of short memories at board level, it'd be no surprise if Mancini was given the boot this summer.

However, Stamford Bridge still has to be the number one choice for Mourinho if a deal can be brokered. He enjoyed massive success there the first time around, he's still loved by the fans there and reports suggest he and owner Roman Abramovich have kissed and made up after an acrimonious departure from his first spell in west London.

Interim Chelsea manager Rafa Benitez made it clear he will leave the club at the end of the season after the barrage of abuse he's suffered at the hands of some supporters, therefore leaving the path clear for a triumphant return of the 'Special One' to the Blues' hot seat.

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