Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho pictured in Croatia as he bids to get £35million Ivan Perisic deal over the line
JOSE MOURINHO is playing his trump card in a bid to beat rivals to Inter Milan star Ivan Perisic.
The Manchester United boss flew to Zagreb, not so much to watch Perisic play in Croatia’s qualifier against Ukraine last night, but more to hook up with long-time pal and transfer mastermind Predrag Mijatovic.
Mourinho has sealed big deals with the help of Mijatovic in the past and hopes that the former Yugoslavia international can ensure Perisic joins United this summer instead of Chelsea, Liverpool or other suitors.
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Mijatovic is not the only big-hitter working with the Red Devils and Mourinho on the project to sign Perisic, 28, who can play as a winger, second striker or attacking midfielder.
Who is Ivan Perisic?
PLAYS predominantly as a left-winger at Inter. He is quick, good in the air and likes to cut inside from his flank.
SCORED a stunning volley against Arsenal for Borussia Dortmund in 2011 to secure a last-minute equaliser for the Germans in the Champions League.
FELL out with then-manager Jurgen Klopp after claiming that he favoured certain players above others. Klopp responded by saying complaining in public is ‘childish’.
BORN in Split, made his international debut against Georgia aged 22 in 2011. He has 55 caps, scoring 16 goals.
Super-agent Pini Zahavi and his trusty partner Fali Ramadani are also on board.
Perisic recently split with his long-term representative. Zahavi and Ramadani are said to have promised to deliver a move to Old Trafford. But it is Mijatovic on whom the United boss is relying to do the business for the third time in the last five years.
After an illustrious playing career, which included ending Real Madrid’s 32-year wait for the European Cup by scoring the winner in the 1998 final, Mijatovic became an agent.
From 2006 to 2009, he was sporting director at Real before becoming a ‘Mr Fix-it’ in the Balkans and beyond.
Mijatovic was instrumental in the extraordinary 2011 deal which saw Samuel Eto’o join Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala from Inter Milan and become the world’s highest paid player.
He and Mourinho also have history.
Sources say Mijatovic played a key role in Real Madrid signing Luka Modric from Tottenham in 2012 when Mourinho was in charge at the Bernabeu.
And in 2014 the pair worked together again to bring Nemanja Matic back for a second spell at Chelsea.
In an interview that year with Vijesti, a newspaper in his native Montenegro, Mijatovic said: “Professionally, Mourinho is a fanatic. He is absorbed in football 24 hours a day, for him there are no secrets, nothing unknown, he monitors all leagues and players.
“For me he is the best coach in the world. He’s won titles in four different championships, which speaks volumes about him and his methods of work.
“As for Mourinho privately, he is not only fair and correct but he is a friend of his friends.
“Only when you meet him do you realise there is absolutely nothing in those stories of him being arrogant.”
No wonder Mourinho likes working with Mijatovic.
In the case of Perisic, the United manager hopes his friend will once more walk the walk, as well as talk the talk.
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