Chelsea legend Joe Cole has issued a stunning plea to the club’s hierarchy, urging the board to turn back to a former manager amid their managerial search.
Despite Jose Mourinho having a contract through 2027 and public assurances from president Rui Costa in Benfica, the Special One is now widely expected to depart Lisbon this summer.
Currently, Real Madrid appears to be the frontrunner for his signature, with Florentino Perez reportedly identifying his former manager as the ideal man to fix things at the Bernabeu.
It doesn’t seem as if Mourinho is even in the thinking of the BlueCo hierarchy, as the Blues are currently in pursuit of Xabi Alonso, Marco Silva and Andoni Iraola.
However, Joe Cole believes that Mourinho is the man for the job at Chelsea.
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Joe Cole believes Jose Mourinho is a ‘realistic’ target for Chelsea
Speaking exclusively to The Sun, Joe Cole made the surprise claim that Chelsea should go and target a return for Jose Mourinho this summer.
“The best move Chelsea could make now, a realistic move as well, is to go to Jose Mourinho. Say that this is what we can do, and just let the man take charge of the club.
“Just say, “rebuild my club for me, we’re going to step back, you get us back on track.”
Interestingly, since Liam Rosenior’s departure, a return for Mourinho has always been downplayed by Chelsea, plus a lack of European football would almost certainly rule it out.
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Joe Cole explains his Jose Mourinho shout
Cole is clearly passionate about Jose Mourinho being the next man in, suggesting that the club hands him full control of the players he’s bringing in at Chelsea.
However, after witnessing the disagreements between Enzo Maresca and the board, it seems highly unlikely that Mourinho would come to a club where he might not get his own way.
“Give him a long contract, and tell the players and the fans just to take the transition.
“Tell the fans, “We’ve given you what you want. Jose is in charge of bringing the players in. Jose is in charge of everything.”
“So, the fans know where they stand, and the players know where they stand as a group. And then leave it.
“It’s going to take a few years. But I’m pretty sure, in three years, Chelsea will be in a healthier position than they are now.
“Everyone’s thinking he’s finished, but there’s a reason Real Madrid are looking at him.”
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