Jose Mourinho won the La Liga title alongisde Aitor Karanka – but a reunion at Premier League giants Spurs does not appear to be on the cards.
Aitor Karanka has ruled out the prospect of reuniting once again with Jose Mourinho at Tottenham Hotspur, speaking to Jim White on talkSPORT (27 April, 12pm).
The footballing world is filled with examples of talented ‘number twos’ looking to make a name for themselves in their own right. Karanka, like Paul Clement, Steve Clarke, Mikel Arteta and even Zinedine Zidane, is keen to leave his time as a doting assistant in the past.
A man who spent three years honing his trade alongside Mourinho at Real Madrid went from ‘number two’ at the Bernabau to ‘number one’ on Riverside, taking over at Middlesbrough before transforming Nottingham Forest from relegation candidates into play-off dark horses.
Now back home in Madrid as he considers the next step in his career, Karanka has made it clear that he would see reuniting with a Portuguese tactician in North London as something of a backwards step.
“I don’t think so,” the 46-year-old said when asked if he would take up a job at Tottenham.
“Now, I have my own career. Jose knows I would help him and he would help me but it’s in the past. We have our own careers.”
Mourinho could perhaps do with a bit of assistance right now.
His Tottenham side were in a miserable run of form before the global health crisis stopped the season in it’s tracks, suffering a humiliating Champions League exit at the hands of a vastly superior RB Leipzig side while being knocked out of the FA Cup by bottom-of-the-table Norwich City.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
