Football's Worst Kept Secret is Out

'The Special One' - Mourinho

Today, football's worst kept secret has finally been 'revealed'.  The time has finally come, when the most worshipped manager in recent times at Chelsea returns home.

Jose Mourinho.

A 4 year contract has been agreed between Mourinho and his former club, Chelsea, to work his magic and bring the glory days back to Stamford Bridge.

Significantly, the one thing Roman Abramovic desired the most was the one thing Mourinho couldn't provide in his previous tenure as the Blues boss; the Champions League trophy. Instead, the first person to succeed at satisfying Roman's craving was Roberto Di Matteo. This, however, did little in guaranteeing his position on the touchline, and despite being handed a contract as a reward for winning Europe's elite competition, his days with the European champions were numbered.

As mentioned in my previous post titled 'Mourinho - The Special One', Benitez replaced Di Matteo, and succeeded in stabilising Chelsea last season in the Barclays Premier League, proving his doubters wrong in the process, but as interim coach his impending replacement was the subject of unrelenting speculation. With a little help from Mourinho himself, all eyes were soon fixed firmly on the Bernabeu, following a spate of hints dropped and comments made by the self-proclaimed 'Special One', pointing towards an almost romantic return to the Premier League.

Starting today, Mourinho will commence his plans to take Chelsea to the top of English football, and indeed, he will undoubtedly be gunning for that coveted yet seemingly elusive Champions League trophy, and to banish that European hoodoo which indeed haunted him during his first spell at the London club.

My question is, where will he start? Does he stand by the experience of veterans Terry, Lampard, Cole and Cech, or does he turn over a new leaf, and start his own revolution at the club?

In celebratory mood...

Rumours are already surfacing regarding the possible sale of David Luiz to long-admiring Barcelona, for a reported £30m. If this is indeed true, then a defensive signing would certainly seem logical and extremely probable.

He is inheriting a squad which is teeming with creativity, class and competition, but he has his own style, his own vision; one which will slowly become clear as the transfer window and pre-season progress. I'm sure we'll see some outbound transfers, but you can bet your mortgage that Mourinho will have a reason for these; a higher calibre replacement.

Manchester's top two clubs, United and City, will be looking over their shoulders now, that's for sure.

Whatever the season holds for Mourinho, I'm under no illusions when I say it will be eventful, entertaining, and exciting.