Mourinho planning raid on Chelsea for out of favour star

Former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho wants to raid his old club for the services of Willian according to ESPN.

The Brazilian scored twice in the FA Cup semi-final win over Tottenham but it was a rare start for a player that had been so impressive for the Blues in the seasons previous. Indeed, under Antonio Conte the 28-year old has fallen behind Pedro in the pecking order at Stamford Bridge, starting just 13 of 29 league appearances. 11 players have seen more minutes of league action at the club this season.

While he has scored six goals in that limited playing time it’s been a bitterly disappointing season for the winger, so it’s no surprise that Mourinho is keen to offer Willian a lifeline. He was, after all, Chelsea’s best performer under the Portuguese prior to his dismissal last season and was among Mourinho’s most trusted lieutenant’s during his time at the club.

The Brazil international started 32 of 35 league appearances in the 2015/16 campaign and claimed earlier this year that he rejected the chance to follow his former boss to Manchester United last summer. If the opportunity were to resurface as reported, however, the South American would surely be less reluctant.

The main stumbling block will of course be Chelsea’s unwillingness to do business with a team they would consider a title rival for next season, but Mourinho is reportedly still confident that he can make a deal happen.