If you're among the vast majority of Chelsea fans who are excited about the return of Jose Mourinho to Chelsea, I've got some good news! The Sun* is reporting that Mourinho has agreed a deal to take the helm at Stamford Bridge for a second time in his career. They're also reporting that he was recently spotted dining with club owner Roman Abramovich in a restaurant fittingly-called La Famiglia.** If true, that's pretty conclusive evidence that the pair have in fact set aside the differences fostered in their acrimonious split in 2007.
There is, however, a downside. It shouldn't really be a huge surprise at this point, but Rafa Benitez will continue to be in charge of the club for their asinine post-season "tour" of the United States. According to the report, Mourinho will only begin his second reign on the First of July. Alas, it was never really likely the managerial change would happen in time for those friendlies against City, since they take place within a week of the Premier League season ending, and, critically, before Real Madrid's La Liga campaign finishes in June. Jose will, instead, be in place for the beginning of the club's pre-season tour of Asia, beginning in mid-July.
Still though, this is almost-certainly, 99.8%-probably done, though the report says it won't be announced until closer to, or even on, the First of July. Until then, we should be prepared for about a billion stories reporting a setback in the deal, one or more of the 18,002 players that he will be bringing with him, or just some random fluff about Mourinho. We'll finish on that third front, as The Sun offer up some interesting quotes, purportedly from Wesley Sneijder, of all people:
"In Jose’s heart it goes his wife, his kids, then Chelsea.
"He has never made any secret about wanting to coach in England again — and when you hear him talk about Chelsea I don’t think he could coach any other team there.
"It sounds crazy, but when he talks about the Premier League and Chelsea, it’s like a kid who is telling his parents what he wants for Christmas."
[*Yeah, yeah. I know.]
[**I can't decide if I want this to be a normal "family" joke or a oligarch-mafia joke. Choose your own adventure!]