Transfer Centre

Jose Mourinho: 'Trip to Croatia not a scouting mission'

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 25 March 2017

Jose Mourinho downplays suggestions that he was in attendance for Croatia's home game with Ukraine to thrash out a deal for Inter Milan attacker Ivan Perisic.

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has claimed that he travelled to Croatia this week "to relax and enjoy the nice weather", rather than pushing through a move to sign Ivan Perisic.

The 54-year-old was reported to have jetted to Zagreb to thrash out details on a £35m transfer for the versatile Inter Milan attacker, using his links with agent Predrag Mijatovic to his advantage.

Mourinho has played down suggestions that he was in attendance at the Stadion Maksimir to run the rule over Perisic, who did not feature in his side's 1-0 win over Ukraine in the end, insisting that his short trip away was more like a holiday than a scouting mission.

"I have no hidden cause, I just came to enjoy my free days and visit some friends like Predrag Mijatovic and Davor Suker," he told Croatian television network HNTV.

"I know everyone believes I came to watch some players, but in football today you don't have to travel around in order to see some players, I know all of them well. I came as a person that wants to relax and enjoy the nice weather, unlike the rainy weather in Manchester."

Perisic is also understood to have been monitored by Premier League rivals Chelsea and Liverpool in recent weeks, with one eye on the summer transfer window.