01 September 2023 , 14:06
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Manchester United have completed the loan signing of Sergio Reguilon – a player whom Jose Mourinho has regularly praised.
Reguilon, 26, is set to make his United debut for Sunday’s trip to Arsenal. He has moved to Old Trafford from Tottenham – where he was signed by Mourinho three years ago – on a season-long loan agreement, although the deal has a January break clause.
United were forced into signing a left-back in an emergency deal due to injuries to Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia, while Brandon Williams has joined Ipswich on loan and Alvaro Fernandez is on the verge of a season-long switch to Granada.
Reguilon progressed through Real Madrid’s youth system and made 22 first-team appearances for the club, all of which came in the 2018-19 campaign – and it was at this stage that he first earned the public praise of Mourinho.
The Portuguese boss had been sacked by United earlier in that season and it would be several more months before his appointment at Spurs, where he subsequently signed the full-back. He went on record to state his admiration for Reguilon’s performances in El Clasico games against Barcelona.
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“I say, from my perspective too, one of the players that could show that Real Madrid's traditional desire to compete against Barcelona was a kid like Reguilon, who had a very good approach in both matches," said Mourinho at the time.
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Reguilon made 67 appearances for Spurs - the majority under Mourinho (Getty Images)Mourinho subsequently signed Reguilon at the north London club and he became a regular member of his defence. The boss showed how the Spaniard was in his good books when posting on Instagram that he bought a leg of jamon Iberico ham for around £500 in order to honour a promise to his left-back.
According to Spanish newspaper ABC, Mourinho had made the promise to the left-back ahead of his side’s Premier League clash against Manchester City – which Spurs won. The boss was said to have promised Reguilon a leg of pork if Riyad Mahrez did not dribble past him during the match.
United boss Erik ten Hag said at his Friday press conference, when confirming the Spaniard’s arrival: "He (Reguilon) is a very experienced player, (he has played at) big clubs, LaLiga, Premier League, he has a very good background, he can play intense football. We had a problem with Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia injured, we coped well in an emergency situation."