Mourinho shrugs off United link

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has talked down his chances of replacing Alex Ferguson as Manchester United’s next manager.

The former Inter Milan man has been heavily linked with replacing Ferguson when the 71-year-old finally decides to call time on his tenure at Old Trafford.

When 50-year-old Mourinho was asked on Tuesday if he would be replacing his counterpart at United, he replied: “No, because we have to end our career at the same time. He at 90, me at 70.”

Mourinho, speaking ahead of the Champions League round-of-16 first leg between Real and United on Wednesday, said his next job will in England, where he enjoyed a hugely successful spell in charge of Chelsea between 2004 and 2007.

“The Premier League will be my next step,” he said.

Mourinho has been linked with a return to Chelsea and a move to United’s cross-city rivals Manchester City.