Jose Mourinho has set about the task of rebuilding his personal reputation and that of his new club Manchester United on his first official morning as their manager.
Having arrived in Manchester by train shortly after midnight, the 53-year-old self-proclaimed ‘Special One’ emerged from the Lowry Hotel at 7.50am to begin work.
Wearing a light blue shirt unbuttoned at the neck, carrying a black holdall and surrounded by his entourage, Mourinho stepped into a waiting Mercedes people-carrier.
He is expected to make the 10-mile journey to United’s Carrington training base south-west of the city centre to settle in to his new surroundings ahead of his official unveiling on Tuesday.
At 12 minutes past midnight, Mourinho stepped from the first class carriage of a Virgin Trains service at Manchester Piccadilly, chosing to record the moment on video for his Instagram account.
Mourinho had taken the 21.25 London Euston-Manchester Piccadilly service on a £237.50 ticket and told his 830,000 followers: ‘I am here/UNITED we can.’ The short clip was liked over 185,000 times by his followers.
Mourinho embarks on the biggest job in English football with plenty to prove following the disastrous conclusion to his second spell at Chelsea, leading to his departure last December.
Succeeding Louis van Gaal, he will begin a rebuilding job at Old Trafford after they only finished fifth in the Champions League and missed out on the Champions League for the second time in three seasons.
Though United won the FA Cup, beating Crystal Palace in the Wembley final, this did not spare the Dutchman the sack.
Mourinho has already authorised three eye-catching signings, with more expected to follow.
United have signed Ivorian defender Eric Bailly from Villarreal and last week added the Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan from Borussia Dortmund and Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who was out of contract after leaving Paris Saint-Germain.
More additions are expected, with Paul Pogba possibly in line for an Old Trafford return from Juventus. The France midfielder will reportedly cost a world record £100m, having been jettisoned by Sir Alex Ferguson four years ago before thriving at Juventus.
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