Jose Mourinho keen to fulfil Manchester United destiny as he ignores bad recent seasons and admits: 'I want to win the title'

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Two bottles of champagne are on ice in the luxury hotel suite looking out over Shanghai, but Jose Mourinho has nothing to celebrate yet.

‘I will try to do my work to make the owners realise that I’m the right guy for this job — but in this moment I’ve just played Wigan,’ he says.

The high-rise Kerry Hotel could not seem further from the DW Stadium where Mourinho took charge of his first match as Manchester United manager last weekend. 

Jose Mourinho says he will do his work and convince Manchester United's owners he is right for the job

Mourinho had two bottles of champagne on ice in a hotel suite at the high-rise Kerry Hotel in Shanghai

The Portuguese manager has taken charge of one pre-season friendly with his new club - against Wigan

United's players, including Marcus Rashford and Wayne Rooney, pose for a photo during training in Shanghai

But ahead of his second game against Borussia Dortmund in the Shanghai Stadium on Friday, the 53-year-old is already beginning to feel at home in his new job.

It’s not just the red T-shirt he’s wearing or, indeed, the red smartphone cover either.

The man who first announced himself to English football with that sprint down the Old Trafford touchline as the upstart coach of FC Porto a dozen years ago acknowledges that it may always have been his destiny to manage United.

‘I remember playing at Old Trafford and the way to the dugout was always nice,’ he says. ‘It was never like in other stadiums. There was always a connection.

Mourinho's first encounter with United, which saw him sprint down the touchline at Old Trafford, was fiesty

‘Then can you end up being their manager one day or not. I always felt that what has to happen happens — and it happened so.

‘Every club I was at, I was always playing against Man United — with Porto, Inter (Milan), Real Madrid, always; Champions League matches, big matches. Then with Chelsea; matches to decide the title, FA Cup finals, Community Shields.

‘I’ve played so many times against Man United and what I felt was — and you know this is not easy with me — so many matches and no problems. Not a yellow card, not a red card, not an offensive word.’

It’s pointed out to him that was not exactly the case when he first encountered Sir Alex Ferguson all those years ago.

The 53-year-old often managed at Old Trafford in the past, including with Chelsea (left) and Inter Milan (right)

‘That was him, not me! It was him,’ exclaims Mourinho, bursting into schoolboy laughter during his first interview as United manager with the national newspapers.

‘So I always had that good feeling, for sure, and I think the fans feel the same. They believe I can help the club. I have the feeling that the players want me.

‘I’m not saying they didn’t want Mr Van Gaal. I’m saying that since I arrived I feel that they are very fine with my way of work.’

United’s players certainly looked happy in a way they rarely did under Van Gaal as they trained in the sweltering heat of Shanghai on Thursday, including Wayne Rooney who will keep the captaincy under the new regime.

Familiar face Zlatan Ibrahimovic will finally arrive for pre-season training with Mourinho's club on Sunday

A couple of them are already familiar to Mourinho, like new signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic, his old Inter Milan striker, who will arrive for pre-season training in Manchester on Sunday.

‘Let’s be honest, he’s very rich,’ says Mourinho. ‘He’s made money all his career, he’s won a lot of things. But the guy wanted this one more challenge.’

Another old face is Juan Mata, sold to United from Chelsea by Mourinho in 2014 and now on uncertain ground again after being told that he is unlikely to be a regular starter.

Juan Mata (middle) was sold by Mourinho at Chelsea but the manager says there is space for him in the squad

‘I sold because he asked for that,’ insists Mourinho. ‘Nobody in my previous club wanted to sell or push him. It was his decision.

‘He’s a talented player and I don’t promise places to anyone. So I think he wants to stay and, yes, there is space for him.’

Mourinho was ushered out of Stamford Bridge himself in December, keeping to a career pattern of staying at a club for no longer than three years. He would like that pattern to change at United.

‘I have the contract I have and for that the owners are happy,’ he says. ‘To give me a new contract I will be happy to do that because it’s what I want at this moment in my career.’  

Mourinho has said that he will not use recent bad seasons as an excuse and wants to win the Premier League

In the meantime, he does not mask his ambitions for a club that have failed to challenge for the Premier League title since Ferguson won it in 2013. The champagne may not stay on ice for long.

‘I’m not going to hide behind three bad seasons or two seasons not even with fourth place,’ says Mourinho.

‘No, I want to win the title and I want my players to feel it. If at the end of the season anyone is better than us, then great. But now in this moment before the flag to start the race, I’m not going to say we don’t want to win.’