Spurs hope to haunt former boss by targeting midfield leader

It’s fair to say that European football would not be quite the same without serial winner Jose Mourinho.

The former Chelsea and Manchester United boss has won pretty much every trophy available to him, and has managed in four different countries during his long career.

The charismatic Portuguese’s ability to bring success wherever he goes has stuttered a little of late, with the 58-year-old most recently sacked as manager of Tottenham Hotspur in April.

Such is the reputation of Mourinho, however, the two-time Champions League winner, who also delivered Chelsea’s first two Premier League titles, was only out of work for a matter of days before being snapped up by Serie A side Roma.

Despite the Italian side having gone almost two decades without a league title, the pull of such a challenge, as well as living in the Italian capital, was enough to persuade Mourinho.

Now, before his current side have even kicked a competitive ball, it appears tat his former employers could be trying to sabotage his first season in Rome.

According to The Athletic, Spurs are chasing Roma captain Lorenzo Pellegrini.

The midfielder has spent his entire career with the club, and looked set to play an integral part of Mourinho’s first season in charge.

Mourinho will be hoping to prove he is still one of the world’s best.

However, the 25-year-old does have a release clause in his current deal, and it claims Spurs might be tempted to fork out the £26 million required to activate it.

New boss Nuno Esperito Santo has reportedly made midfielder Moussa Sissoko available for sale, and there are also doubts over the future of Harry Winks.

Since arriving in Rome, Mourinho has been linked with moves for Grant Xhaka and Alex Telles, as well as former players Eric Dier and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

The Portuguese also completed his first signing last this week, in the form of fellow countryman Rui Patricio from Wolves.

It is not yet known whether or not Pellegrini would be tempted by a move to the Premier League, especially given the fact that the midfielder has spent 15 years with Roma, aside from a two-year loan spell with fellow Serie A side Sassuolo.