JOSE MOURINHO yesterday identified Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole as the type of signings he would like to make at Real Madrid, causing consternation in the boardrooms of Liverpool and Chelsea.
Mourinho is poised to succeed Manuel Pellegrini as Real manager, having announced his departure from Internazionale and he sparked intrigue as he name-checked the trio of World Cup-bound England internationals. During his time in charge at Chelsea, he almost signed the Liverpool captain Gerrard while he has retained a close relationship with Lampard and Cole.
Cole (29) is understood to be considering his future in England as he contends with the fallout from the break-down of his marriage. The left-back feels he is being persecuted by sections of the media. Gerrard, who turns 30 on Sunday, and Lampard (31) are considered by Mourinho as photo-fit signings in midfield.
“I like players at the end of their careers,” Mourinho said. “I love to have some players who are 33 or 34 years old. They are players who you buy and you do not recover the money but if they give you good performances for two or three years, you’ve got your money’s worth. Both (Gerrard and Lampard) are great players who always give everything.”
Real’s interest in Gerrard predates their move for Mourinho. They have talked about making a bid for him, although their valuation would most likely have been laughed at in Liverpool, as it has been in the region of €15 million. They paid €30 million last summer to Liverpool for another midfielder, Xabi Alonso.
Mourinho referred to Cole as he explained the tactics he intended to use at the Bernabeu. “Normally, we play with four (at the back) but with two offensive full-backs of the style of Ashley Cole or Maicon,” he said. “In midfield, we can play in a diamond or triangle. If we play with the triangle, then we line up to three forwards.”
Mourinho went on to say he saw Sergio Ramos, who generally played at right-back for Real under Pellegrini, as potentially one of the best central defenders in the world, suggesting he might have a vacancy at right-back. Maicon played in the role for him at Inter. Left-back, meanwhile, is a problem position for Real.
Liverpool and Chelsea would resist any moves from Mourinho for their players.
One of the most significant details of Mourinho’s deal at Madrid is that he will be granted control of transfer policy by the president Florentino Perez. Pellegrini complained his relationship with Perez was difficult from the beginning and that important players were sold over his head.
For Mourinho, however, the situation could hardly be more different. Real have won nothing in each of the last four seasons under Perez and, for the first time, the president is prepared to entrust his coach with building the squad.
When Perez announced the Portuguese’s capture, the rhetoric of style, spectacle and stability had gone. Madrid’s identity was instead summed up in a word: success. Although Perez insisted he had not even talked to Mourinho about signings, it was significant he mentioned it at all. Mourinho will make the decisions and the players he has talked about do not necessarily fit the galactico model.
Asked what Real needed, Mourinho responded: “I want three or four defensive players.” He was keen to stress his team would look to balance defence with attack. “My Madrid will always play well, attack and will be winners,” he said. “However, there will be times when we will have to face the game in a different manner.”
Extra Linesmen
The Champions League and Euro 2012 qualifiers next season will feature two extra linesmen at all matches after Uefa decided to extend the five-referees experiment yesterday. The Europa League, where the experiment was conducted for the first time in senior competition this season, will also feature the new system.
The system, backed by Uefa president Michel Platini, features two extra linesmen, one behind each goal, to help referees spot penalty area infringements and determine whether the ball has crossed the line.
