Ex Porto, Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has insisted that he doesn’t go looking for managerial jobs, clubs instead approach him. This comes amid intense speculation that the Portuguese tactician has been in talks with Manchester United over the Old Trafford hotseat.

Speaking to Italian newspaper La Stampa, Mourinho said:

“My next club? I really do not know, but one thing is certain: I love football and I will return on the field with the same passion and ambition as always. Right now I have respect for every coach and every club. I’m not looking for a club, are the clubs who seek me.”

Mourinho, who is a good friend of current United manager Louis van Gaal, has already refused to speak publicly about the Red Devils’ job and the prospect of taking over from the Dutchman.

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Van Gaal is under both extreme pressure and massive scrutiny as his United side have won just nine of their last twenty-seven games in all competitions – during which time they have lost to Sunderland, Bournemouth, Norwich and Middlesbrough.

Also included in those twenty-seven games are an embarassing 3-0 defeat to Arsenal and a 3-2 defeat to VfL Wolfsburg which saw Van Gaal’s men dumped out of the Champions League at the group stage.

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They are now in the Europa League and need to win against FC Midtjylland at Old Trafford on Thursday to progress to the round of 16 – having just lost the first leg 2-1 in Denmark.

United’s next game is away to Shrewsbury in the FA Cup on Monday – and anything other than progression to the quarter finals could spell trouble for Louis van Gaal.