Jose Mourinho and Ed Woodward to hold clear the air talks – with Manchester United boss convinced board making plans to replace him
JOSE MOURINHO will have clear the air talks with Ed Woodward in the next 48 hours ahead of a club board meeting on Thursday.
The Manchester United boss and executive vice chairman will meet in London with Mourinho’s job still in doubt.
Ed Woodward, right, pictured with Patrice Evra, is set for clear-the-air talks with Jose MourinhoGetty - Contributor
Jose Mourinhos Manchester United pulled off a stirring comeback as they beat Newcastle 3-2 at Old TraffordAFP or licensors
Mourinho is convinced the club have been making contingency plans for his succession.
If Woodward can convince him that’s not the case, the Portuguese will then use the meeting to discuss a January plunge into the transfer market to bolster the United side.
He will be interested to know just how much money he is going to get after the club reigned back on the summer spending when Mourinho demanded a new centre-half and winger.
They have, however, already given him over £350million to spend.
Mourinho asked Woodward for a defender over the summer but the executive vice chairman refused to pay so much money for oneAFP or licensors
Woodward is hoping his manager can turn around this season’s resultsRex Features
But players like Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof have flopped and it remains to be seen if they will trust the manager with another transfer splurge.
It is the question marks over his own position that Mourinho remains most angry about.
SunSport revealed last week how one of the favourites to take his job, Zinedine Zidane, had contacted Mourinho direct to say he was NOT plotting behind his back.
Zidane said that all that had happened was a discussion with his agent over whether he would like the job if it came up.
Mourinho is in London and is expecting to meet Woodward for clear-the-air talksGetty Images - Getty
Victor Lindelof has not impressed despite being bought by MourinhoReuters
Defender Eric Bailly has been erratic at Old Trafford and was hauled off after 19 minutes in the win over NewcastleReuters
But Mourinho was convinced the agent must have been contacted by United.
On Saturday morning Mourinho was sent a text apparently from Woodward to ignore reports that he was going to be axed come what may in the game against Newcastle.
As it was his team produced a stirring fight-back from 2-0 down with 20 minutes to go to win 3-2.
Thursday’s board meeting will undoubtedly discuss Mourinho’s New Year targets and the recent results and controversies that have dogged the club.
Mourinho remains convinced the club have made plans to replace himGetty - Contributor
Saturday’s result stemmed a run of four games without a win.
But United are already trailing in the title race and have gone out of the League Cup.
There have been off-pitch problems too, most notably in the relationship between Mourinho and record buy Paul Pogba.
A number of players have grown disillusioned with Mourinho’s reign.
Woodward has come under fire for his management of United’s transfers and was called out by fans during the win over NewcastleReuters
But on Saturday at least there were positive signs in the second-half that things could be turned around.
Mourinho and Pogba even worked in tandem to sort the mess out with the manager consulting his player at the break on what to do about the tactics.
Pogba suggested Marouane Fellaini should be brought on while he dropped deeper in the pitch.
The switch worked as the French World Cup winner began to dictate the play in his best 45 minutes for the club this season.
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