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Mourinho wants a 15-year tenure as Man United manager

New English Premier League season begins next month

Wednesday, 19th July 2017

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho. ©REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has admitted he wants to stay at Old Trafford for the next 15 years.

But he has conceded that the pressures of managing at the top level make a long tenure difficult.

Mourinho, who previously won league titles in Portugal, Spain, Italy and England, has never been in charge for more than three seasons at his previous clubs.

"I am ready for this," Mourinho, about to start his second season at Old Trafford, told ESPN.

"I am ready for the next 15, I would say. Here? Yes, why not?

"I have to admit that it is very difficult because of the pressure around our jobs, everybody putting pressure on managers. But in reality only one can win and every year it is getting more difficult.

"In my vision, my job is much more than what I do on the pitch and the results that my team gets at the weekend."

Stability

The Portuguese had previously expressed his intention to stay in charge at Stamford Bridge for more than 10 years during his second stint at Chelsea but was sacked just months after leading the side to the league title in 2015.

Mourinho said long-term stability could bring great benefits at the club as he hopes to emulate Alex Ferguson, who led United to 13 Premier League titles and two Champions League trophies during his 26 years in charge.

"This club, for so many years, was Sir Alex," Mourinho added.

"People got used to it; people understood the great consequences of that stability.

"After David [Moyes] and Mr [Louis] Van Gaal, I come to my second year and hopefully I can stay and give that stability that the club wants."

Concerning his squad strength, United have added striker Romelu Lukaku from Everton and Benfica defender Victor Lindelof in the close season but Mourinho believes there is still room to for more acquisitions in this transfer window.

The British media continue to link the club with moves for Inter Milan winger Ivan Perisic, Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic and Tottenham Hotspur's Eric Dier with Mourinho hoping that at least one of his targets will join.

"We thought about four players to strengthen our squad, but it is really hard to do it," he added.

”If we do the third and forget the fourth, I would be quite happy with that because I know it is difficult."

United, who finished sixth in the league last season, host West Ham in their first game of the campaign on 13 August.

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