Tottenham Hotspur’s Lucas Moura gave an interview to ESPN Brasil over the weekend, mostly speaking of José Mourinho’s arrival at the club.
It’s been a long time the Portuguese boss has been trying to sign the Brazilian player. The first attempt dates back to 2012, when the winger was shining at São Paulo, and there was another trying when the manager was at Manchester United.
José Mourinho was in charge of Real Madrid the first time, and reached out to Lucas’ parents to convince them over a move to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Lucas spoke a little about the first words he shared with Mourinho in London, and says their relationship has been pretty good so far.
“He arrived, was more relaxed, he spoke of the time of São Paulo, which he talked to my parents when he was at Real Madrid,” Lucas Moura told ESPN Brasil. “It was more relaxed. He always asks how I am. It’s very cool, I always have this openness with him to talk. Even because of the language, it makes it a lot easier.”
There’s also another famous attempt from that year, when Manchester United came very close to bringing the player to the Premier League.
Lucas has talked about it claiming there’s no regrets for having chosen the French side over the Red Devils, even though things weren’t that great in Paris.
“Yes, there was a conversation. I was very close to closing with Manchester United. It was still at the time of Ferguson. I ended up choosing PSG, I spent five fantastic years there, I won a lot, learned a lot. I do not regret it. Despite the hard times, the bad times, I don’t regret it because I grew a lot, I learned a lot. Now I’m here in the Premier League, and it’s a new hope.”
José Mourinho also tried to sign Lucas for Manchester United a couple of years ago, but it was Tottenham Hotspur who won the race, largely because they agreed to a permanent deal.
