Will José Mourinho join PSG this summer?
According to the Telegraph, the Roma manager has emerged as a target for PSG with the Champions League remaining elusive for the Parisians.
José Mourinho has reportedly emerged as a target for PSG to replace Mauricio Pochettino if the Ligue 1 champions and the Argentinean coach part ways this summer. The idea of moving for the Portuguese, who is currently in charge at Roma and who won the inaugural UEFA Conference League last season, has come from the incoming sporting director at the Parc des Princes, Luis Campos, who previously worked with Mourinho at Real Madrid and who enjoys a close personal relationship with the former Chelsea, Inter and Manchester United manager. Is it a stroke of genius, or a flight of fancy on the part of the Parisians?
On paper, a union between Mourinho and PSG makes a lot of sense. The Portuguese has proven time and again that he will deliver silverware – he took Roma to their first European final since 1991 – and his management style makes him particularly well-suited to a dressing room full of stars including Leo Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Neymar and Sergio Ramos, who he coached at Madrid. He is used to working with hands-on owners and bridges the divide between dressing room and boardroom in a way few other managers can. Crucially, he has a solid track record in the Champions League, winning the competition twice, and is the only manager to have won continental titles with four different clubs.
Mourinho could achieve PSG balance
One of PSG’s major issues last season was finding a balance between attack and defence, something which Mourinho is highly qualified to fix. Neither will the Portuguese be restricted in making signings, which has been a recurring theme in his post-match press conferences at cash-strapped Roma. He would also doubtless enjoy the opportunity to pull off a treble: Mourinho has never been one to look down his nose at domestic cup competitions and PSG will hardly struggle in the league next season.
Mourinho has insisted he will remain at Roma, but the prospect of a return to Europe’s elite club competition and the chance to add another Champions League to his laurels – one that would make him the only manager in history to win the European Cup with three different clubs – will be a temptation.
PSG are also looking at other options, including Nice boss Christophe Galtier and River Plate manager Marcelo Gallardo. Talks have reportedly been initiated with Galtier and the appointment of Gallardo would be a popular one given his record in Buenos Aires, but Mourinho would be a statement of intent from PSG after securing Mbappé on a new deal in their quest to win an elusive Champions League title.