Jose Mourinho being eyed as favourite for the USMNT manager job

Jose Mourinho is being eyed up as the potential replacement for Gregg Berhalter as USMNT head coach amidst an investigation on the latter.

The AS Roma coach is currently enjoying a spell in Serie A as his side currently sit in 6th, joint on points with Lazio and Atalanta, who are in 4th and 5th respectively.

Current USMNT boss Gregg Berhalter was forced to come out earlier this month and confess that he had kicked his wife in the legs during an argument in 1991. Berhalter claimed in his statement that he had been blackmailed to do this, as the person had approached him and threatened to 'take him down' with this information.

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Berhalter's contract ran out earlier this month, however US soccer have stated that they will not make a decision on his future until the investigation, which rose to the fore after the World Cup, has been concluded.

Berhalter was expected to stay on as US coach following their impressive performance at the World Cup, where the USA finished their group unbeaten and were knocked out by the Netherlands in the round of 16 after a valiant performance.

Mourinho has also been linked with the Brazil and Portugal jobs, though former Belgian coach Roberto Martinez has recently taken the Portuguese job following his disappointing showing in Qatar with Belgium.

It is also rumoured that the USMNT approached former Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane for the role, although he declined the offer.

Jose Mourinho is known as one of the best of most successful managers of the last 20 years, winning 26 trophies so far throughout his career. This includes two Premier League titles, two Serie A titles, two Champions League titles, two Europa League titles as well as his latest, one Europa Conference League title among other domestic trophies.

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Despite his unerring success in club football in Portugal, England, Spain and Italy, the Portuguese manager has always romanticised the idea of coaching a national team:

"Yes, I want to coach a national team, I want to have the experience of a World Cup and European Championship, the emotion of the short competition," Mourinho said in 2020.

In relation to the blackmailing and information leading to Berhalter's investigation, it was revealed that the parents of USA international Gio Reyna, had reported the incident in question to US soccer.

Reyna, plays his club football for Borussia Dortmund, was expected to be a pivotal player during the World Cup, but was used sparingly as a substitute.

His Mother then made a move that Berhalter states was an attempt 'to bring about the end of my relationship with US Soccer'. He did also admit that what happened in 1991 was 'a shameful moment and one I regret to this day'.

USMNT now have two friendlies coming up at the end of January, both of which will be coached by interim manager Anthony Hudson.

The head coach role seems to be up for grabs though, and it is an opportunity for Mourinho to add some international trophies to his resume.