Manchester United make Chelsea target their top priority to replace Jose Mourinho

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Manchester United are reportedly ready to make Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone their priority target to replace Jose Mourinho in the Old Trafford dugout.

The Red Devils exited the Champions League this week after a shock 2-1 home defeat to underdogs Sevilla, and this has seemingly put Mourinho’s job on the line.

It’s been a disappointing season overall for United, with Mourinho unable to restore the club to its glory years under Sir Alex Ferguson despite investing huge sums on big-name signings such as Paul Pogba and Alexis Sanchez.

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According to Don Balon, United are now getting fed up with the Portuguese and want Simeone to come in as his replacement, though the move supposedly looks unlikely.

This is far from the first time Simeone’s name has been mentioned alongside a European elite club, with the Argentine establishing himself as one of the great managerial minds in Europe in recent years.

The Times have also linked him as a potential contender to replace the struggling Antonio Conte at Chelsea this season, with the Blues also dropping out of Europe this week after a 3-0 defeat to Barcelona.

Diego Simeone to Manchester United – just another Jose Mourinho?

It would certainly be intriguing to see Simeone in England, though he arguably doesn’t represent enough of a change from Mourinho from a tactical point of view.

Diego Simeone is being linked with the Manchester United job

The 47-year-old has undoubtedly worked wonders with a small budget at Atletico Madrid, winning La Liga in 2013/14 and reaching two Champions League finals in his time in charge.

Still, this has come from a largely defensive setup more suited to clubs with less in the way of resources than a side like United, which draws some parallels with how Mourinho’s career has gone.

The Red Devils boss fared best at Porto and Inter Milan where his sides were not fancied as Champions League contenders, but his battling sides were able to achieve far more than the talent in their squad suggested they could.

Managing big names like Pogba and Sanchez and being expected to play teams like Sevilla off the park, however, is another matter.

More Stories Antonio Conte Diego Simeone Jose Mourinho