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Gossip: Manchester United squad 'stunned' by Jose Mourinho's bullying tactics as Chelsea ace is linked with Old Trafford

Jose Mourinho has struck fear into the Manchester United squad.
Jose Mourinho has struck fear into the Manchester United squad.

If Jose Mourinho is a father figure to his players, he’s the kind of father who sends you to your room without any tea, chases you around the house with a slipper and repeatedly threatens to execute your guinea-pig. Tough love, it’s sometimes referred to.

The main difference is that, with your dad, no matter how mean he is you know that deep down he probably does love you, whereas with Mourinho you know nothing of the sort.

So for someone like Luke Shaw, working under the Special One’s guidance is just like living with a man who doesn’t like you.

“Bullying” is how some of Shaw’s team-mates would describe it, according to the Telegraph, which reports that United players were left “stunned and angry” by Mourinho’s latest public humiliation of the young left-back following this Saturday’s FA Cup match against Brighton.

READ MORE: Lukaku: A lot of players will join Manchester United next season

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The paper says Shaw, who was substituted at half-time in the match after being shouted out by Mourinho throughout the 45 minutes he was on the pitch, now faces “an extended period out of the side”.


The Sun goes one step further and says that exile will be permanent. According to the tabloid, Shaw was involved in an “amazing training ground bust-up” with his manager “before” the Brighton match.

The row allegedly occurred when Shaw went to Mourinho’s office to seek “assurances” about his Old Trafford future following a recent upturn in form.

Sounds fair enough. Unfortunately this prompted Jose, who was evidently in a bit of a dark mood at the time, to “fly off the handle at him in an extraordinary outburst that convinced Shaw he has no chance of repairing his relationship with the manager”.

Yep, sorry Luke, he’s never going to hug you and tell you he’s proud of you.

Man United want Alonso as part of major rebuild

Chelsea’s Marcos Alonso, center celebrates with his teammates
Chelsea’s Marcos Alonso, center celebrates with his teammates

In fact, Mourinho has already found a replacement for Shaw in the shape of Chelsea left-back Marcos Alonso, with the Mirror claiming United are ready to stump up £70m for the former Bolton man. Mourinho can trust Alonso because he has played for Chelsea, just like his favourite players Nemanja Matic and Romelu Lukaku.

As for Shaw, Chelsea, Tottenham, Southampton and Leicester are all said to be interested in signing him (Star).

In more Man Utd news, the Express says Mourinho is set to offload as many as 10 players this summer in a “mass exodus” from Old Trafford.

In addition to Shaw, the likes of Juan Mata, Ander Herrera, Chris Smalling, Phil Jones, Daley Blind and Matteo Darmian are all set to be shown the door, while the contracts of Marouane Fellaini, Michael Carrick and Zlatan Ibrahimovic are expiring.

Jose will use the cash to fund an extensive “rebuilding” project, with Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale, Tottenham pair Toby Alderweireld and Danny Rose, Chelsea winger Willian and Shakthar Donetsk midfielder Fred named as his targets.

Elsewhere, in non-Man Utd news, Arsenal are “desperate” to sign 21-year-old Benfica winger Andrija Zivkovic, who is also wanted by – erm – Man Utd (Mirror), Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen has told club legend Andres Iniesta to stay at the Nou Camp and not move to the Chinese Super League (Sky Sports) and Paris Saint-Germain defender Thiago Silva says he is “sure” team-mate Neymar will stay at the club (ESPN). At least until May, anyway.