ABOVE: Jose Mourinho is chasing Eliaquim Mangala and Marco van Ginkel to kick start his Chelsea return
I have to prove myself again. Even if he gives me some credit you still start from zero every single day.
Romelu Lukaku
JOSE MOURINHO is making a twin transfer raid to bring Eliaquim Mangala and Marco van Ginkel to Stamford Bridge.
The move for Mangala means the Special One is
prepared to steal the France international centre-half from under the
noses of Manchester United.
Mangala was high on Sir Alex Ferguson’s wanted list before he retired at the end of last season.
The
Porto defender, 22, had been strongly recommended to Fergie by his
brother Martin – United’s European scout – who also called it a day at
the end of the last campaign.
Now
Mourinho, who will be officially unveiled at Chelsea tomorrow, is
poised to step in and clinch a £20million deal with his former club.
Mourinho could well see it as putting down an early marker against old rivals United.
And now Mourinho will spark a flurry of transfer activity approaching the £100m mark at Stamford Bridge.
The returning Blues boss has also told the club that he wants to sign promising Dutch midfielder Van Ginkel.
The
Vitesse Arnhem starlet, 20, currently in the Holland squad in Israel
at the European Under-21s Championships, would cost £8m.
That would immediately commit Chelsea to a £28m outlay on two young players.
New
United boss David Moyes’ view on Mangala is not known but he could well
feel he has enough strength in depth in the central-defensive
positions.
The
Premier League champions have captain Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand –
who has just signed a new one-year contract – Jonny Evans, Phil Jones
and Chris Smalling.
The Daily Star Sunday revealed United’s interest in Mangala three months ago.
And
he is so highly-rated that the defender, of Congolese descent, has
also attracted strong interest from Spanish giants Barcelona.
Chelsea
see Mangala as the new John Terry. And they will have a vacancy in the
squad at the centre of the defence if David Luiz joins Barcelona.
Mourinho
is also eyeing forwards, with Napoli’s Edinson Cavani, Hulk at Zenit
St Petersburg, Fiorentina’s Stevan Jovetic, Bayer Leverkusen’s Andre
Schurrle and Edin Dzeko at Manchester City all under consideration.
Chelsea, clearly, will not sign them all but are aiming to secure at least two.
And they have emerged as serious challengers to City for £50m-rated Cavani.
Meanwhile, striker Romelu Lukaku has hinted that he could stay at Stamford Bridge next season.
The
Belgium international spent the whole of the last campaign on loan at
West Brom, where he was a big hit, scoring 17 goals in 35 Premier
League appearances for the Baggies.
Reports suggest Lukaku will be sent back out on another temporary deal next term.
But the hitman, 20, would love a role under Mourinho.
And he said: “I already know where I am going – or where I’ll be heading back to – but I won’t say any more than that.
“The only thing I will say is that I want to succeed at Chelsea and I am not scared of facing competition.
“I have to prove myself again. Even if he gives me some credit you still start from zero every single day.
“But I am going there with the intention to succeed – that is my goal.”
Damien Duff, though, has talked down Jose Mourinho’s chances of reclaiming the Premier League title with Chelsea.
The former Stamford Bridge winger won two titles under the him in Mourinho’s first spell in London.
But he reckons Manchester’s big two will prove too strong for the Blues next season.
Fulham
star Duff, who spent three years as a Chelsea player, said: “Usually I
would say that it would be a no-brainer for Mourinho to win the league
title.
“But
this will be an exciting year in the Premier League, with Manchester
City getting a new manager and Manchester United being so strong.
“Jose is an amazing manager – as good as there has ever been in the history of the game.
“But it will be tough for him – even if he has a history of coming up trumps.”
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