We know all about José Mourinho’s record with young players by now.
The Manchester United manager has killed the careers of such promising talents as Steven Watt (currently about to begin his seventh straight season of non-league football), David Mateos (back-up to Seb Hines at Orlando City) and Isah Eliakwu (without a club since 2012).
How the trio failed to break through at Chelsea, Real Madrid and Inter we’ll never know.
What’s more, the despotic coach showed his disdain for United’s youngsters by naming just nine of them in a 26-man pre-season squad and trying to bring back a youngster who was let go by Sir Alex Ferguson because the club already had Tom Cleverley in place to do his job.
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But we have since learned that it’s got even worse.
Not content with ruining Manchester United’s set-up with heartless moves like giving Marcus Rashford game-time and bringing in a 22-year-old centre-back to sort out a leaky defence, he has resorted to sabotaging rival clubs’ youth prospects.
Mourinho was spotted by a source,named locally as Pumih Edamew*, rocking up to Melwood on multiple occasions this summer with a wonderfully realistic Jürgen Klopp mask.
The Portuguese passed himself off as the Liverpool manager and set about letting several youngsters and academy products leave the club, tricking them into thinking Klopp himself wanted rid.
At least, that’s the only way we can explain the Reds parting ways with Sergi Canós, Jordon Ibe, Jordan Rossiter, Jerome Sinclair, Brad Smith, Joao Carlos Teixeira and Samed Yeşil, as well as letting Jon Flanagan leave for Burnley on a season-long loan.
Nice try, José. You almost got that one past us.
*try reading it backwards
