Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has faced the media ahead of Monday night's clash with Stoke.
The Red Devils have just returned from a warm weather training camp in Dubai, where they took advantage of a ten-day break in fixtures.
But the most important topic up for discussion this afternoon was Alexis Sanchez.
United are ready to vie with rivals City for the Chilean's signature as he looks set to leave Arsenal - and Mourinho was quick to praise the wantaway Gunners star.
He also addressed his ongoing feud with Chelsea boss Antonio Conte, before giving an update on Zlatan Ibrahimovic's fitness and previewed the clash with the Potters.
Recap all he had to say below.
Conte feud rumbles on
The bitter feud between Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte is showing no sign of ending after the Manchester United boss fired his latest barb.
Mourinho and Conte have been at loggerheads with the Portuguese boss taking a swipe at animated bosses such as Conte when saying he didn’t “behave like a clown on the touchline.”
Conte hit back, accusing Mourinho of acting like he was suffering from “demenza senile”, Mourinho responded with a match fixing jibe and Conte branded a “little man”.
Conte said he “won’t forget” Mourinho’s “serious words”, and it appears Mourinho won’t forget his.
Speaking on Friday afternoon, the United boss said he has “contempt” for his Chelsea rival.
“I think when a person insults another, you can expect a response,” said Mourinho. “Or you can expect contempt.
“The first time he insulted me I had a response, a response that I know that touched the point where he really feels hurt.
“Then he insulted me for a second time but now I change and now contempt and for me contempt means end of the story.”
United face Chelsea in the Premier League on February 25 at Old Trafford.
Read more from David McDonnell who is at Carrington here.
Those Sanchez comments in full
Jose Mourinho has refused to rule out a move for Alexis Sanchez – describing the Arsenal star as a “phenomenal” player.
Manchester United have launched an audacious bid for Sanchez, in a bid to snatch the 29-year-old forward from under the noses of local rivals Manchester City.
Mourinho tried to tread a diplomatic path around the subject of Sanchez, but said there are “some players in the football word” you have to try to sign if clubs have the chance.
“I don’t know if it’s ethical or correct to be speaking about players of other clubs,” said Mourinho.
“If somebody speaks about one of my players to say they are interested or not interested, I wouldn’t be very very happy.”
David McDonnell has the full story here.
On Stoke clash
United face Stoke at Old Trafford on Monday night and here’s what Mourinho has to say about the managerless Premier League strugglers:
“They have a manager. I was not inside but from the outside I think he’s a guy with great qualities to do the job for them, he was always a loyal member of Mark Hughes’ staff, like Mark Bowen, they were always very united and a strong group, so Ed is just continuity, so I don’t think for the players it’s a different situation, probably they train the same way and Ed thinks the same as Mark Hughes and is about continuity and not about dramatic change, which is not good at this time of the season, so he has conditions to do the job and they are coming to give us a very difficult match as they always do.”
On Tuanzebe exit rumours
Transfers next and Mourinho gives us an update on the future of Axel Tuanzebe, who has been linked with a loan move to Aston Villa.
“Tuanzebe’s a very good player that is not having lots of possibilities to play here but he’s our player and will be our player, no chance we give up on such a talented boy but is something we are thinking about a loan until the end of the season.
Ibrahimovic update
Mourinho is now into injuries and has this to say about Zlatan Ibrahimovic:
“Zlatan is injured or is not totally happy with his condition.
“He fought like a tiger like he likes to say to be back, which he did, he was starting having minutes here and there and had a start and had 60 mins in one game, start another one and had 45 and he was not happy with his feeling.
“He consulted other doctors, other opinions and we all make the decision to stop, treatment and when he is feeling really good come back to the work.
“The date for him to be back to training with the team was around end of Jan beginning of Feb so let’s hope his feelings are better and we have him with us as soon as possible.”
Mourinho purrs over Dubai trip
The Red Devils boss is quizzed about their recent trip to the Middle East.
“Very good, he facilities were unbelievable, nice weather, three days of really good training, we developed things which we can’t do when we have no time to train.
“I really think it was a good trip, hopefully we can improve our level. We are lucky to be playing on Monday.”
Mourinho on his 'contempt' for Conte
The United boss said he has “contempt” for his Chelsea rival, with the bitter feud between the warring pair showing no sign of ending.
“I think when a person insults another, you can expect a response,” said Mourinho. “Or you can expect contempt.
“The first time he insulted me I had a response, a response that I know that touched the point where he really feels hurt.
“Then he insulted me for a second time but now I change and now contempt and for me contempt means end of the story.”
Sanchez is "a phenomenal player"
“At the general level what I can say is myself and the Manchester United board, the owners, we don’t believe a lot in the January market.”
“We don’t believe in signing a player just to sign a player, just doing something - we don’t believe in that.
“What we believe really is there are some players in football world if you have the chance to sign them in January, March or July, you have to try, and that’s it.
“But in relation to Alexis Sanchez I don’t say a word.
“The only word I can say is that he’s a phenomenal player, apart from that Arsenal player, and I feel I shouldn’t say much more than this.”
Mourinho on Sanchez
Right, here he is.
We’ll kick off with Jose Mourinho on Alexis Sanchez, as that’s theday’s big story.
“I don’t know if it’s ethical or correct to be speaking about players of other clubs,” said the Manchester United boss.
“If somebody speaks about one of my players to say they are interested or not interested, I wouldn’t be very very happy.
“Sanchez is an Arsenal player. I don’t know but, probably this weekend, he’s going to defend Arsenal colours, so I don’t think it’s correct to say things about Alexis Sanchez.”
Giggs interviewed for Wales job
Ryan Giggs has been interviewed by Wales but faces an angry backlash from unhappy fans to his potential appointment.
FAW chief Jonathan Ford has interviewed bookies favourite Giggs, Craig Bellamy, Chris Coleman’s assistant Osian Roberts and Mark Bowen.
Wales are searching for a new boss after Coleman’s shock decision in November to quit for Sunderland despite being offered a new deal.
Wales now need a new man to attempt to lead them to Euro 2020 after missing out on the World Cup.
Manchester United legend Giggs, 44, made 64 appearances for his country from 1991-2007, including 10 friendlies.
Expect some injury updates
The 10-day break in fixtures has given the United squad the chance to recuperate and came at the perfect time for the club’s injured players following the festive break.
Antonio Valencia and Michael Carrick both returned to training in Dubai, so expect to hear when Mourinho expects that pair to return, while the likes of Sergio Romero, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Eric Bailly are all still out so we might hear more on when the Red Devils are expecting those three back.
Not long now...
The stage is set and we will soon see just how good a tan Jose Mourinho has managed to get in Dubai....
Fans want Hernandez return
Manchester United fans are calling on Jose Mourinho to re-sign Javier Hernandez.
The Mexican striker represented the Red Devils from 2010 to 2015 - although he spent his last season on their books on loan at Real Madrid - before leaving for Bayer Leverkusen.
He gained a reputation as a super-sub at United, bagging important goals late in games for Sir Alex Ferguson’s swashbuckling side.
But he saw his game time reduced when David Moyes took over the reins, before Louis van Gaal decided to part company with him.
What to expect today?
You’d best go whack the kettle on now, as this could be an entertaining press conference once Jose Mourinho appears in quarter of an hour or so.
Top of the agenda will be the breaking news that came up earlier this hour that Manchester City are willing to drop their interest in Alexis Sanchez, potentially giving United a free reign to go after the Chilean.
And then there’s the Antonio Conte spat, which has been simmering nicely over the past couple of weeks.
We’ll also get the full details about United’s Dubai trip and the usual injury news, so hold onto your hats..
United considering Villa's Tuanzebe bid
Aston Villa are growing anxious that a loan move for Manchester United ‘s Axel Tuanzebe might not be pushed through before the end of the month.
The Villans have an outstanding enquiry with Old Trafford chief Jose Mourinho and are now waiting for a response.
The 20-year-old centre-half is a former winner of the club’s young player of the year award and has broken through under the Portuguese and has been training with the Red Devils’ first-team squad.
However, Mourinho wants to give the youngster, born in DR Congo, frontline experience and Villa boss Steve Bruce believed they were in with a good shout of landing the powerful defender.
City willing to walk away from Sanchez deal
Manchester City are prepared to walk away from their bid to sign Alexis Sanchez and give local rivals Manchester United a free run at the Arsenal star.
City have been in pole position to sign Sanchez since failing with a £60million deadline day bid for the Chile international last August.
But United blindsided their neighbours this week by launching an audacious bid to snatch the 29-year-old from under their noses with a £35m bid.
City, however, consider the financial package demanded by Arsenal and Sanchez’s representatives too high for a player with just six months left on his contract.
Manchester United’s warm weather training camp has come to a - but not before the squad took time out of their schedule to go to the races.
Jose Mourinho took his side to the Middle East as the club looked to take advantage of a ten-day break in fixtures ahead of Monday night’s clash with Stoke City.
After a series of training sessions in the Dubai heat in order to recover from the hectic festive schedule, Mourinho gave his players the evening off in order to hit the track at Meydan Racecourse.
Luke Shaw, Daley Blind, Michael Carrick, Ashley Young, Phil Hones and Chris Smalling were all pictured trackside as they took in the Longines Ladies La Grande Classique, which was won by Jim Crowley on Etijaah.
The mid-season break has allowed a number of injured players to work on their recovery, with Antonio Valenica set to return against the Potters after missing a month with a hamstring problem.