Jose Mourinho Says He Would Like to Sign Eden Hazard for Manchester United
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has said he "would love" Eden Hazard to join him at Old Trafford, but believes Chelsea would never allow it.
The Special One's comments follow Hazard's admission he would like to work with the Portuguese coach once again in the future.
Speaking ahead of United's Premier League visit to Stamford Bridge on Saturday, Mourinho declared he would have no hesitation bringing the Belgium international to the Theatre of Dreams.
Per BBC Sport, Mourinho said:
"We had a good relationship, we were champions together, so I think the feelings are good.
"History says that when Eden Hazard is the best player in the Premier League, Chelsea is the champion.
"It happened with me, it happened with Antonio [Conte, in 2017]. The season is still in the beginning of course but, if he is the best player of the Premier League until now, which I think he is, Chelsea is top of the league because he's the kind of player who can make a huge difference.
"I would love to have him in Manchester United but I don't think Chelsea will sell him to Manchester United."
Hazard shone under Mourinho at the Bridge, as the west London side captured the Premier League crown in 2014-15, but the team collapsed the following season.
The Belgian's form evaporated as Mourinho was dismissed, and tales of disharmony in the Blues dressing room were widely reported.
Mourinho is in his third season at United, and the manager has often found it difficult to maintain success after similar periods during his tenures elsewhere.
United lack a superstar like Hazard at the very top of his game, and it would be intriguing to think how the coach would set up his starting XI at Old Trafford with the attacker in his squad.
Hazard recently explained his dramatic final months under Mourinho at Chelsea.
Speaking to Belgian newspaper HLN (h/t Nizaar Kinsella of Goal), Hazard said:
"In 12 years I've only had one bad season, the last six months under Mourinho and it was partly my own fault. After the title, we asked Mourinho for extra holidays. I came back totally out of shape.
Mourinho's image of an extremely defensive coach isn't completely right. He is far from adventurous like [Pep] Guardiola, but the season in which we became champions, we made many goals and played good games... we had a team to get a lot of prizes."
Per Kinsella, Mourinho publicly criticised Hazard during his reign at Chelsea, saying Hazard "is not the kind of player who is ready to sacrifice himself 100 per cent for his team-mates."
However, there's clearly no hard feelings, with Hazard telling Stephan Keygnaert of Belgian outlet Het Laatste Nieuws he desires to be reunited with Mourinho in the future (h/t MailOnline's James Dutton).
The United boss will be under severe pressure if his side lose during their trip to the capital, and with Hazard in phenomenal form, the Red Devils will be sizeable underdogs on Saturday.
Hazard has scored eight goals and provided three assists in 10 Premier League and UEFA Europa League appearances, and the best is yet to come from the forward.
Mourinho needs his starting XI to pull out their best performance of the season at Chelsea, offering him vital breathing space if United can claim the three points on their travels.
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