Bayern deny Mourinho interest

JOSE MOURINHO looks increasingly likely to remain at Stamford Bridge after Bayern Munich became the latest club to deny an interest in the Portuguese coach.

Mourinho insists he will be staying at Chelsea, seeing out a contract which expires in three years time. But persistent speculation has once again put the spotlight on the Chelsea coach’s future intentions, with some even touting a possible move in the summer.

Bayern were the latest club to be mentioned when Felix Magath’s successor, Ottmar Hitzfeld, claimed he would only manage the German giants until the end of the season.

That sparked suggestions Mourinho could be the man to lead the Munich club back to glory but Bayern’s managing director, Uli Hoeness, furiously denied that talks had already begun with Mourinho’s agent Jorge Mendes.

Hoeness said: “I neither called Mourinho nor his adviser or contacted them in any way. If the adviser claims that I did, then he is lying. All these speculations are simply not true.”

Meanwhile Chelsea were yesterday waiting for the results of scans on Wayne Bridge’s injured thigh after the left-back pulled out of England duty with the problem. But although Bridge’s injury will leave Mourinho without a specialist left-back until he returns, those worries will be eased by the imminent return of Khalid Boulahrouz.

Crucially though, captain John Terry is certain to return to the back four against Middlesbrough on Saturday, adding to the recent return of keeper Petr Cech from a fractured skull.

Terry’s deputy skipper Frank Lampard said: “You have seen the importance of Petr coming back. For many people he is the world's best keeper and he certainly is for me. It is a confidence boost to everyone.”