"It would be a mistake"- Chelsea owner Todd Boehly warned against appointing 'sour and old-fashioned' Jose Mourinho as manager
Chelsea have been warned against reappointing AS Roma boss Jose Mourinho as manager amid reports that he is keen on a return to Stamford Bridge. The Portuguese coach enjoyed two memorable spells in west London with the Blues. He won the Premier League three times, the FA Cup once and the League Cup on three occasions.
Mourinho was sacked twice by the Blues. He has since managed their arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United. However, he still holds a fond relationship with many of the club's fans due to the success he has achieved.
Reports claim that Mourinho's representatives have contacted Chelsea over a possible return for 'The Special One.' Holt insists Blues owner Todd Boehly would be making a mistake by entertaining the idea of the Portuguese returning to Stamford Bridge. Holt wrote in his Daily Mail column:
"Perhaps Boehly would accept it, but it would be a mistake. Mourinho's time in the elite has passed."
He continued by suggesting that Mourinho is tactically not up to par with the top managers in Europe anymore:
"It would be too big a risk. His methods seem sour and old-fashioned now next to the endless energy and intensity of coaches like Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel and the august serenity of Carlo Ancelotti. They have all, in their own way, left Mourinho behind. He is a man out of his time."
Mourinho has often managed three seasons at a club before the cracks began to show. Holt alludes to the murmurs of discontent already occurring at Roma for the Portuguese coach:
"The template of his management cycle tells us that things will soon start to go wrong in Rome. His honeymoon year is over and the fighting is beginning. There are suggestions that he is not happy with the lack of funds available to him in the transfer market. It tends to go downhill reasonably quickly from here."
“Of course my English connection is Chelsea. Two periods, 6 years. That’s why I’m seen as a Chelsea man.”
- Jose Mourinho 💙 https://t.co/nS53lV87Cq
Pressure has grown on current Chelsea manager Graham Potter amid the side's poor campaign in his first season in charge. They are 10th in the Premier League, trailing fourth-placed Manchester United by 10 points.
Boehly has decided against offering £80 million for Chelsea target Moises Caicedo
Chelsea have been heavily linked with a move for Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Caicedo. They reportedly had a £55 million bid for the Ecuadorian rejected, but the player is pushing for a departure from the Amex Stadium.
He released a statement on his Instagram account stating his intentions to pursue a dream move to either Arsenal or Chelsea, the two sides who have made a move for the Seagulls man.
Despite this, Boehly has been put off by an £80 million valuation that Brighton have placed on the midfielder, per English journalist Alan Nixon. Caicedo has made 21 appearances across competitions, scoring one goal and providing an assist. He has helped Roberto De Zerbi's side keep five clean sheets.