Manchester United: Will Jose Mourinho keep anyone?

Manchester United have had face life after face lift since Sir Alex Ferguson left, but will Jose Mourinho enact the greatest one yet? Will anyone stay?

It really is sad what is happening with Manchester United. A team so rich in silverware and history is being forced to endure a schizophrenic present day where no manager can live up to what Sir Alex Ferguson established.

The reasoning is simple, really. Fergie was given time and resources, which he used to build a team that was sustainable for decades. He would make a big signing or two in order to fill in the missing pieces, but the majority of the talent was coming in through the system. It provided for players that loved the club and players that would prefer club success to individual success.

Now, the team is in a constant search of immediate gratification, leaving the once historically immaculate team stuck in the rat race with all the other mid table clubs – clamoring for their next manager and their next superstar.

I always point to Angel Di Maria as the token example of how United have failed and fallen so far from what Ferguson wanted for the club. Di Maria was purchased for nearly £60m, given one year and then sold for £45m. And now he is blossoming. What a waste of money and what a display of petulance. Mesut Ozil took 18 months to acclimate. You can’t seriously tell me a player of Di Maria’s quality wouldn’t have adjusted.

Jose Mourinho is no different. In fact, it has gotten to the point where I am wondering who, outside of David De Gea, the Special One will keep. All of these investments that previous managers have made are linked to moves away. These links include the potential exits of Daley Blind, Morgan Schneiderlin, obviously Juan Mata and more. Mourinho isn’t going to use many of his predecessors investments for himself. That’s just how he works.

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You know it’s bad when someone identified as a leader and future star by Fergie, Phil Jones, has to have reassurances that he has a place with the team.

How long does this go on for Manchester United? We all know that Jose Mourinho is not there for the long haul. He is at the prestigious Manchester United to grow his own trophy cabinet. History gives us no reason to doubt that. Essentially, Manchester United is Mourinho’s latest toy.

This happens all around the world, we see Pep Guardiola turning Manchester City into his new toy. Jose Mourinho did the same with Chelsea. But again I ponder, isn’t Manchester United too good for that?

I guess not. Aston Villa have a nice history too and they’ve been rubbish for some time now.

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Manchester United is in for a shock with Mourinho. It’s hard to anticipate what will happen, but in the end, they will be left no better than when he arrived. We are getting a taste of that already with the clearing house and the Phil Jones escapades.

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