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Jose Mourinho: Ramon Calderon believes ex-Chelsea manager's next job will be Real Madrid, if not Manchester United

The Portuguese coach has been widely tipped to succeed Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford

Friday 01 April 2016 10:43 BST

Former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon (Getty)

Former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon believes Jose Mourinho will be reinstated as the head coach of the La Liga club if he does not take over at Manchester United.

The Portuguese coach, who has been out of work since his dismissal from Chelsea last December, has been widely tipped to take over from Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford this summer.

Mourinho’s candidacy is believed to be a divisive subject among United’s hierarchy, with some board members being reluctant to appoint a coach who has a reputation for stirring controversy.

Calderon, Real’s club president between 2006 and 2009, believes that Mourinho will return to the Santiago Bernabeu.

“If Mourinho doesn't sign for Manchester United, he will be Real Madrid's next coach. I am completely sure of that,” Calderon told Mundo Deportivo.

“If the team doesn't win anything, sadly, we'll be seeing Mourinho on the bench again. That's my feeling.”

Mourinho previously took charge of Real between 2009 and 2013, winning one domestic league title, one Copa del Rey and the Supercopa de Espana.

Who is playing for their Man Utd future?

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1/10Who is playing for their Man Utd future?

Who is playing for their Man Utd future?

Michael Carrick

The Old Trafford career of Manchester United’s second longest-serving player is coming to an end. Last year’s decision to hand him a one-year extension was questionable, this year it would be unjustified. It’s time to call it a day.

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Who is playing for their Man Utd future?

One of the quieter disappointments of Louis van Gaal’s tenure. Rojo has rarely, if ever, put in an above-average performance and cost his team too often. A tournament-inspired signing if ever there was one and likely to go out the door with his manager, who has also disappointed after an eye-catching World Cup.

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Who is playing for their Man Utd future?

Memphis Depay

His season has been, to put it in the kindest terms, ‘mercurial’. Brief, perhaps very brief, glimpses at his talent have been outweighed by truly anaemic, gutless performances. His youth should be enough to dissuade the club’s hierarchy from cashing in but Depay will need to show a serious volte-face in his second season to turn his Old Trafford fortunes around.

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Who is playing for their Man Utd future?

Juan Mata

In truth, if Jose Mourinho takes over at Old Trafford as expected, there may be little that the Spaniard can do to convince his new manager that he should be kept on. His fate, in that sense, may be sealed. Nevertheless, Mata can hardly claim to have fully established himself at Old Trafford and still has a number of doubters. A few weeks in his preferred no. 10 role could do him a world of good.

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Who is playing for their Man Utd future?

Marouane Fellaini

Quite easily the most unpopular man at Old Trafford on any given matchday and this season, that’s saying something. He wants to do well, that’s clear, but he simply does not have the requisite technical quality and tries to make up for it by elbowing people. His time’s up.

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Who is playing for their Man Utd future?

Paddy McNair

Alongside Tyler Blackett, McNair provides the stand-out argument against those who uncritically praise Van Gaal’s promotion of youth. Sadly he, nor Blackett, are good enough and should not have been relied upon so much at points during the Dutchman’s first season. In truth, both may have already made their last appearances for United.

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Who is playing for their Man Utd future?

Cameron Borthwick-Jackson

Surprisingly, the young full-back still has not been tied down to a long-term contract, despite his impressive performances since breaking into the side. Talks are understood to have begun but Borthwick-Jackson’s contract expires in June and his future won’t be certain until the dotted line is signed.

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Who is playing for their Man Utd future?

Antonio Valencia

His brilliant 2011/12 campaign established him as a firm favourite among supporters but his surrender of the no. 7 shirt the year after marked him as a player who sometimes struggles with a weight of expectation on his shoulders. Ever since, he’s been a figure on the fringes and only on the odd occasions that he’s fit. Sell up before his contract expires next year.

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Who is playing for their Man Utd future?

Adnan Januzaj

Packed off on loan to Borussia Dortmund, sent back early after starting just three times and just two substitute appearances since his return. It’s all a far cry from having three football associations fight over your international allegiance. Where Januzaj goes next is unclear but he acts a forewarning to the likes of Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford – consistency, not just youthful exuberance, is needed to prosper at United.

Who is playing for their Man Utd future?

Andreas Pereira

The Belgian-born Brazilian has shown his talent at times but, like Januzaj, seems to be another academy product who’s stalling in the reserves while others prosper. He needs with a loan move to gain competitive minutes, perhaps on the continent, or he risks complete stagnation.

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The Portuguese’s time with the La Liga giants was regularly marked by controversy and dressing room fall-outs.

Calderon, who was replaced as president by current incumbent Florentino Perez, believes the same problems would re-surface upon his return.

“He will return and then we'll be back to the war games, fire-starting, uncomfortable press conference, Fifa, Uefa, Unicef,” he said. “That wasn't the best time for the club. Now, without him, there's a lot more peace.

“He provoked a series of conflicts which no one wants and it's far from ideal. The president has been trying to coax him back for the past year, he's tried on a number of occasions.

“Florentino [Perez] is going nuts to see Mourinho back at the club. If things don't go well, [Zinedine] Zidane [Real's current head coach] won't continue.”

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