Earlier today we covered claims from Portuguese newspaper Jornal de Noticias about Jose Mourinho and Manchester United. It was stated on the newspaper's front page that Mourinho had signed with Manchester United.

The actual article was in a supplement, not in the digital newspaper, not available online, and only gettable by physically going in a shop. At the time we explained:

'A little digging and we've found out the claims are: Mourinho has signed, he's been watching Manchester United matches to get an idea of the current squad and deficiencies in it, and he'll have full power on transfers, with the newspaper also pointing out he may well recruit some players from the Portuguese league.'

Now we have a little more information after Jornal de Noticias put the whole thing online. The claims are somewhat contradictory to others being spread about Mourinho and Manchester United, and we'd also suggest they at least slightly contradict earlier claims made by Jornal de Noticias themselves.

The following is stated:

• Mourinho committed himself to Manchester United at the end of last year, when he parted company with Chelsea.
• He's already working on the club's squad for next season.
• JN say 'the Portuguese coach has always been highly regarded by Alex Ferguson, who recognises in him the ability and the right profile to be his successor as coach'.
• 'JN contacted source close to Mourinho, but got no response.'
  

Anyone who has been following the Mourinho to Manchester United rumours will have heard repeated claims that Ferguson isn't keen, both standpoints can't be right. 

JN say that Mourinho committed himself shortly after leaving Chelsea, but when JN covered the situation in January they said Mourinho and his assistant Rui Faria were having meetings, but they didn't claim anything had been signed or the manager had committed to Manchester Untied, or been offered the job there.

Given JN say they've contacted a source close to Mourinho, we'd have to assume that's Gestifute and Jorge Mendes, which would present the question as to where the newspaper got the information from in the first place.