Mourinho plotting to block Man Utd move for £278,000-a-week Real Madrid star

Jose Mourinho has agreed a deal to return to Real Madrid as head coach and his first move could be to prevent another former club, Manchester United, from signing one of his key players.

The 63-year-old Portuguese is set to replace Alvaro Arbeloa, who took over from new Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso in January and has steered the club to a guaranteed second-place LaLiga finish, although they sit 11 points behind champions Barcelona with one round of fixtures remaining.

Mourinho spent three years in charge at the Santiago Bernabeu between 2010 and 2013, winning the league title – his team were the first to do so having amassed 100 points – and the Copa del Rey.

His impending return follows weeks of speculation that he was the man president Florentino Perez wanted to take the club forward as they attempt to challenge Barca, who have landed back to back league titles and three of the last four, and return to Champions League prominence following this season’s quarter-final exit at the hands of Bayern Munich.

Perez has come under increasing pressure in recent weeks after two seasons without a trophy, and faced protests during last Thursday evening’s 2-0 league win over Oviedo at the Bernabeu.

Mourinho was appointed Benfica boss on a two-year contract in September last year and has since led the Portuguese club to a third-placed Primeira Liga finish behind Porto and Sporting Lisbon, during which they went unbeaten.

However, Mourinho is understood to have a modest release clause in his deal which has allowed Real to prise him free relatively inexpensively.

Mourinho, who has been touted repeatedly as a future Portugal manager, remains one of world football’s big beasts.

He began to learn his trade under Sir Bobby Robson, initially serving as the Englishman’s interpreter during his time in charge at Sporting and Porto before following him to Barca and working as his assistant.

After launching his managerial career in Portugal – he led Porto to two Primeira Liga successes and Champions League glory in 2004 – Mourinho made the switch to Chelsea and has since taken charge at Inter Milan, Real, United, Tottenham, Roma, Fenerbahce and Benfica.

He won another European crown with Inter as well league titles in England, Spain and Italy among a glittering array of domestic and continental trophies.

Mourinho’s first act could very well be to land a blow on the Red Devils, with Football Insider revealing he is likely to block the Premier League club’s interest in Federico Valverde.

Mourinho keen to block Manchester United from signing Valverde

Indeed, the former Red Devils boss is desperate to keep hold of his key players for Los Blancos and sees Valverde as one of them.

“If he’s allowed to leave Real Madrid this summer, you would imagine most of Europe’s big clubs would be interested,” Pete O’Rourke told the outlet.

“Obviously it looks like Jose Mourinho will be returning to the Bernabeu as well. He’ll have a huge role to play in the future of Valverde if he wants him to stick around as well.

“No surprise that Manchester United have been credited with an interest in Valverde.

“Valverde has always indicated that he wants to stay at Madrid and sees them as his dream club and let’s see what Jose Mourinho has got planned.

“I expect Mourinho will be looking to keep hold of Valverde and all of Real Madrid’s other star players, so it could be very difficult to get a deal done.”

The Uruguay international, who earns £278,000-a-week according to Capology, was part of a fallout involving another high-profile United target, Aurelien Tchouameni, with both players handed a €500,000 fine by Real Madrid.

Valverde, who can play virtually any position on the pitch, has scored nine goals and provided 12 assists in all competitions this season, and was hailed as “unbelievable” by Casemiro when the pair were together in the Spanish capital.