Matic, Lingard, Rashford and six other Premier League players Jose Mourinho could sign for Roma
After a good first season at Roma, Jose Mourinho is expected to be active in the transfer market this summer, and he is close to landing Nemanja Matic. Which Premier League players could follow him?
One of the most satisfying parts of last season was seeing Jose Mourinho getting his mojo back at Roma, and he is looking a rejuvenated character of late.
After years of seemingly touring the mega-rich clubs and buying immediate success, he has got back to what made his name in the first place: building relationships with emerging and damaged players that see them go above and beyond for him.
Roma finished just seven points outside the Champions League spots in Serie A last season and won the Europa Conference League, so we can expect them to be active in the transfer market this summer.
That may bring Mourinho back to England for a shopping spree and there is no shortage of players who would likely welcome a reunion with him.
Jesse Lingard
Lingard had some great times under Jose Mourinho at Manchester United, scoring the winner in the FA Cup final under the Portuguese.
Steven Bergwijn
It was Mourinho who signed Steven Bergwijn for Tottenham and there appears to be little doubt that the Dutchman will be on the move again this summer.
Did Steven Bergwijn produce the best ever substitute appearance in Premier League history last night? 🤔
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) January 20, 2022
If not, let us know who you think beats him...👇pic.twitter.com/lVo87uIZhd
It hasn't worked out for him at Tottenham under either Nuno Espirito Santo or Antonio Conte since Mourinho left, and Ajax continue to make all the early running to sign him either on loan or a permanent deal this summer. An intervention from Mourinho would certainly give him another option, though.
Harry Winks
Harry Winks perhaps didn't feature as much as he would have liked under Mourinho, but that was probably down to the form of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg more than anything else.
Winks has definitely stagnated at Spurs and, with two years left on his contract, Tottenham are keen to cash in on the 26-year-old this summer.
Mourinho has been complimentary in the past about Winks, saying: "Good player. A player that I like, a player that I need, a player that the squad needs."
That might just have been a manager publicly defending his player, although there are plenty of his other charges who have not received the same kind of endorsement from the former Chelsea boss.
Juan Mata
Juan Mata is another player who will be leaving Manchester United on a free transfer this summer, although he has a bit of a complicated relationship with Mourinho.
Mata initially did not get along with Mourinho at Chelsea, with the Spaniard explaining: "Jose arrived and he had a different way of playing football, or a way that was not perfect for my qualities as a player, and that was it."
However, Mata did manage to prove Mourinho wrong when they were reunited at Man Utd, with the 34-year-old even becoming a go-to man for him in finals.
Serie A is also a lot more technical and less physical too, which would suit an ageing Mata.
Marcus Rashford
If there is one Man Utd player who looks like he is crying out for a change this summer, it's Marcus Rashford. Erik ten Hag could turn out to be that change or it may have to be something a little more drastic.
A loan deal for Rashford, whether to Roma or anywhere else, may be the best solution. He has lost his place in the England squad and no one wants to do that in a World Cup year. At the same time, Man Utd are unlikely to want to give up on him completely.
Staying at Man Utd would be Rashford betting on Ten Hag to reinvigorate him, but perhaps Mourinho will be seen as a safter bet since he has got the best out of the attacker before.
Christian Eriksen
There is a perception that Jose Mourinho and Christian Eriksen had some kind of falling out at Tottenham given the Dane left shortly after the former Real Madrid man arrived. The truth is, though, that Eriksen had already decided to leave.
Eric Bailly
Eric Bailly was Jose Mourinho's first signing at Manchester United, but it has not always been smooth sailing for the Ivorian at Old Trafford.
He looks certain to be one of the players shipped out to make way for Erik ten Hag's planned revolution, and his best spell at the club definitely came under Mourinho.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Reports in Italy claim Roma plan on strengthening the right-back position this summer as a priority and Aaron Wan-Bissaka has already been linked with a move.