Revealed: Mourinho and Woodward closer than ever

Alex Netherton
Jose Mourinho and Edward Woodward have been sending one another friendly text messages.
Jose Mourinho and Edward Woodward have been sending one another friendly text messages.

Jose Mourinho’s reportedly deteriorating relationship with Ed Woodward could be much stronger than people believe.

Manchester United’s boss is under pressure after losing two of the first three games of the season. Defeat to Brighton saw Woodward conspicuously glum in the crowd after the final whistle.

Then, following the 3-0 home defeat to Spurs, Mourinho applauded the Stretford End crowd and demanded respect from journalists after a brief and fractious post-match press conference.

READ MORE: Gareth Southgate worries England players are being underused

READ MORE: Gossip – Lookman ‘set to stay at Everton’ as European deadline day looms

READ MORE: Tottenham fan group threatens boycott after EFL Cup draw

There have been rumours of tension between the pair after Woodward failed to deliver the signings requested, with Toby Alderweireld, Harry Maguire and Diego Godin all linked to transfers that never materialised.

However, an article in The Guardian reports that relations between the two are actually fairly friendly.


The story claims that Woodward has been visiting Carrington training ground with more frequency than ever before, and that Mourinho has been ending text messages to his boss with ‘kisses to the twins’ – Woodward’s three-year-old children.

Speculation that Woodward is planning to replace Mourinho with Zinedine Zidane could be wide of the mark if the story is accurate.