23 Mei 2016

Manchester United paid Jose Mourinho £4m to stay away from rivals as former Chelsea boss prepares to sign £75m five-year deal

  • Manchester United paid Jose Mourinho £4million to stop him joining rivals
  • Former Chelsea boss will be on £75m five-year deal with £200m to spend
  • Mourinho refused to accept a 'behavioural clause' in big-money deal
  • An agreement with Mourinho was reached midway through the season
  • Louis van Gaal was told of his sacking by his wife Truus after FA Cup win

Jose Mourinho was paid a staggering £4million by Manchester United not to take a job elsewhere while they decided the future of Louis van Gaal.
An agreement was reached midway through the season to give United the option of bringing him in if Van Gaal failed to meet their targets.
Sportsmail can also reveal that Mourinho refused to accept a 'behavioural clause' in his five-year, £75m deal despite concerns among the United hierarchy over his eccentric touchline behaviour. 
Jose Mourinho has been on the Manchester United payroll for months, and will be given £200m to spend
Jose Mourinho has been on the Manchester United payroll for months, and will be given £200m to spend
The former Chelsea boss is understood to have been paid £4m to stop him joining rival clubs this season
The former Chelsea boss is understood to have been paid £4m to stop him joining rival clubs this season
Louis van Gaal (centre right) will be sacked by Manchester United and replaced by former colleague Mourinho
Louis van Gaal (centre right) will be sacked by Manchester United and replaced by former colleague Mourinho
The 53-year-old was fined £229,900 and received two stadium bans during his two spells at Chelsea and United are desperate to avoid the negative publicity those incidents generated.
However, Mourinho refused to agree during negotiations in January, highlighting his strong bargaining position as United's season unravelled. Unlike Manchester City's pre-contract deal with Pep Guardiola, the unique arrangement with Mourinho was merely to ensure he would be available if required. 
Had Van Gaal been deemed to have been a success, by whatever criteria United laid down, he would have stayed for the last year of his contract. The deal was first reported by Spanish newspaper El Pais in March.
As it is, former Chelsea manager Mourinho will have £200m to spend on new players as United, who lifted the FA Cup on Saturday, plot a route back to the top of the English game after missing out on a top-four spot for the second time in three seasons.
United hope to have their transfer business completed by the end of Euro 2016 to ensure their manager has his squad in place when they return to training.
The club wanted to keep the agreement with Mourinho secret from Van Gaal, who was his boss at Barcelona, but by Sunday afternoon the United hierarchy were left embarrassed by another PR own goal.
Van Gaal was notified of his departure from Manchester United by wife Truus (left) after the FA Cup final
Van Gaal was notified of his departure from Manchester United by wife Truus (left) after the FA Cup final
Mourinho (pictured leaving his house in London on Sunday) will be on a £75m five-year contract at United
Mourinho (pictured leaving his house in London on Sunday) will be on a £75m five-year contract at United
Van Gaal (centre) finished on a high as he lifted the FA Cup on Sunday following victory over Crystal Palace 
Van Gaal (centre) finished on a high as he lifted the FA Cup on Sunday following victory over Crystal Palace 

JOSE'S CAREER SO FAR

2000: Benfica
2001–2002: Uniao de Leiria
2002–2004: Porto
2004–2007: Chelsea
2008–2010: Inter Milan
2010–2013: Real Madrid
2013–2015: Chelsea
2016 onwards: Manchester United?

The fact Van Gaal knew he had lost his job within minutes of winning the FA Cup is considered by senior figures as more shameful than the departure of David Moyes, who learned of his own dismissal from media reports before executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward had the opportunity to inform him personally.
At Wembley on Saturday it was Van Gaal's wife Truus who told him she had seen the story on the BBC website shortly before he was due to give his post-match press conference. 
Mrs Van Gaal was said to be extremely upset, which would explain the tetchy nature of the exchanges her husband then had with the media. He is also understood to be furious with his Old Trafford employers.
News of Mourinho's appointment, which is expected to be confirmed on Tuesday, was not leaked by United. But Woodward will face questions about how Van Gaal's moment of triumph was marred by such public humiliation.
Van Gaal (left) leaves Stockport train station on Sunday morning, the day after his side lifted the FA Cup
Van Gaal (left) leaves Stockport train station on Sunday morning, the day after his side lifted the FA Cup
Mourinho (centre) previously worked with Van Gaal (left) at Barcelona when he was the Dutchman's assistant
Mourinho (centre) previously worked with Van Gaal (left) at Barcelona when he was the Dutchman's assistant
Van Gaal was involved in some tetchy exchanges with the media after being told of his dismissal by his wife
Van Gaal was involved in some tetchy exchanges with the media after being told of his dismissal by his wife
Once again the pressure will be on Woodward to appoint a more experienced director of football to handle football matters while he retains control of off-the-field business.
Van Gaal had a meal with his coaching staff on Saturday night and will now prepare to leave Manchester, with a future role at the club considered extremely unlikely given his anger at the situation.
The Dutchman and his wife had immersed themselves in life in Manchester. They were regulars at restaurants in the Cheshire village of Hale, while Truus had become an active member of local sports clubs.
The future of assistant Ryan Giggs (left) is unclear; he is keen to stay and work alongside Mourinho at United
The future of assistant Ryan Giggs (left) is unclear; he is keen to stay and work alongside Mourinho at United
Under Van Gaal, Manchester United have disappointed and it is hoped Mourinho will take them back to the top
Under Van Gaal, Manchester United have disappointed and it is hoped Mourinho will take them back to the top
On Sunday night the future of Ryan Giggs was still unclear. He will be disappointed not to have succeeded Van Gaal but club insiders believe he wants to stay at United and hope the prospect of working with Mourinho will keep him at Old Trafford. 
The players would like Giggs to stay, given the central role he plays. When they have 11 v 11 practice two days before a game it is Giggs who organises the opposing team to mirror the side United will face. He also works directly with the players on set-pieces.
Woodward, it is understood, met Mourinho in London on Sunday with a view to confirming the appointment on Tuesday.
By Sunday sources were providing some insight into why it was felt United had to make a change, and not just because of their failure to qualify for next season's Champions League. 
The relationship between Van Gaal and his players had become fractured, with senior players exasperated as much with his failure to control the younger professionals as they were with some of his methods.
Woodward (second left), it is understood, met Mourinho on Sunday with an appointment due on Tuesday
Woodward (second left), it is understood, met Mourinho on Sunday with an appointment due on Tuesday
Manchester United's players celebrate with the FA Cup after securing an extra time victory over Palace
Manchester United's players celebrate with the FA Cup after securing an extra time victory over Palace
Requests not to post their personal videos of the Upton Park bus attack on social media were ignored, while there was a suspicion among some members of the dressing room that players were pulling out of games simply because 'they didn't fancy it', only to train the next day.
Van Gaal's insistence on playing a more regimented style of football became a problem for some of the flair players, with one senior pro telling the Dutchman he intended to play his natural game because following orders would result in him being dropped again.
David de Gea, as revealed last week, would have asked to leave Old Trafford had Van Gaal been allowed to remain in charge for a third season.
It is understood David de Gea (centre left) would have asked to leave if Van Gaal stayed for another season
It is understood David de Gea (centre left) would have asked to leave if Van Gaal stayed for another season
Van Gaal (right) is understood to have lost the respect of the players, and Mourinho will shake things up
Van Gaal (right) is understood to have lost the respect of the players, and Mourinho will shake things up
Some of the players would certainly like Mourinho to shake things up a little. Stories of younger professionals asking catering staff to boil them an egg to take home is one measure of how soft the environment has become since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.
The players would also like Mourinho to challenge Woodward over commercial demands. After they suffered that crushing 3-2 defeat at West Ham at the end of the season, the players had to report to Old Trafford the next morning to drive miniature Chevrolets around the car park.
Mourinho has already identified the players he wants to sign ahead of his arrival, with 23-year-old Sporting Lisbon midfielder Joao Mario one of his principal targets.

19 Mei 2016

Chelsea close in on £60m-a-year kit deal with Nike after ending adidas partnership six years early

  • Chelsea's current kit partnership with adidas will end after next season
  • The Blues will earn double the amount per annum with adidas' rivals Nike
  • Nike deal will be worth £60million, while adidas currently pay £30m 
Chelsea are set to sign a kit sponsorship contract with Nike worth £60million-per-year in what will be the second biggest deal in the Premier League.
The Blues announced earlier this month that they are parting company with adidas at the end of next season, after the pair decided to terminate their current deal six years early.
Adidas' shirt deal was worth £30million annually - a figure that will be doubled by their American sportswear rivals, despite the fact Chelsea won't be competing in Europe next season.

Chelsea are set to agree a £60million-per-year kit deal with Nike which will begin at the 2017-18 season
Chelsea are set to agree a £60million-per-year kit deal with Nike which will begin at the 2017-18 season
Diego Costa models Chelsea's new adidas home shirt for next season - which will be the last worn by the club
The Blues announced on May 11 that they have agree to end their deal with adidas six years early
The Blues announced on May 11 that they have agree to end their deal with adidas six years early

TOP PREMIER LEAGUE KIT DEALS

1) Manchester United - adidas (£75m-a-year)
2) *Chelsea - Nike (£60m-a-year)
3) Arsenal - Puma (£30m-a-year)
4) Chelsea - adidas (£30m-a-year)
5) Liverpool - New Balance (£25m-a-year)
6) Manchester City - Nike (£12m-a-year)
*Chelsea's Nike deal will come into effect from the start of the 2017-18 season.

As revealed by Sportsmail, Chelsea and adidas' split is said to be by mutual consent but talks were instigated by the former for some time.
The west London outfit had grown increasingly annoyed by the way German company have been concentrating on Manchester United, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Juventus, and on signing new players.
And the financial gain of Nike's deal will increase Chelsea's leeway in regards to Financial Fair Play too.
UEFA's monetary model is calculated over a three-year period with clubs currently allowed to spend around £23m more than they earn for the 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons.
Chelsea's failure to qualify for the Champions League will cost upwards of £40m, a figure that won't hinder them severely now with the incoming Nike deal as well as the imminent extra revenue that will be sustained from the Premier League's bumper TV deal.
Chelsea's new deal with Nike will be significantly more per year than the latter's with Manchester City (£12m) and Arsenal's agreement with Puma (£30m).
However, it is still below Manchester United's staggering 10-year £75m-per-season contract with adidas, which came into effect this term.

Manchester United boast the biggest lucrative shirt deal in England - earning £75m-a-year from adidas
Manchester United boast the biggest lucrative shirt deal in England - earning £75m-a-year from adidas
Chelsea's London rivals Arsenal earn £30m-a-year from German sportswear company Puma
Chelsea's London rivals Arsenal earn £30m-a-year from German sportswear company Puma
Manchester City are currently sponsored by Nike but earn a fifth's of Chelsea's likely deal - at £12m-a-year
Manchester City are currently sponsored by Nike but earn a fifth's of Chelsea's likely deal - at £12m-a-year

DUIT