Mourinho wanted Woodward to “shut down” Pogba’s agent, who he feared was trying to secure him a move away from the club

He had been expecting to take training at Carrington, but instead José Mourinho was sitting alone at a table in the restaurant at the Lowry Hotel at 2pm yesterday afternoon.

Wearing cream chinos and a black jacket, the sacked 55-year-old sipped a cup of tea while looking out of the window. Behind him stood a grand piano, but alas Alexis Sánchez was not there to tinkle the ivories for his manager before he checked out of the hotel that he has called home for the past two-and-a-half years.

After a while Ricardo Formosinho joined Mourinho at the table, but his former boss barely spoke to him. Instead, Mourinho’s erstwhile assistant coach just sat as his compatriot’s phone pinged incessantly. According to those present, Mourinho fielded