Lean on Me

Part Three - Chapter Seventeen: Meeting José Mourinho

Fernando jumped feeling Cassidy take his hand in reassurance, he knew that he had nothing to be nervous about and he was glad that she had come with him for a meeting with José Mourinho.

The Portuguese had flown out that morning insisting on speaking with Fernando about the offer that Chelsea had received for him and the footballer couldn’t help but be nervous.

“It’ll be okay,” Cassidy whispered trying to ease his nerves, she knew that a lot of Sergio’s stories were playing on her husband’s mind and she wished that the Sevillian hadn’t told Fernando anything about Mourinho when the manager had left Real Madrid to return to Chelsea.

Cassidy hadn’t really known the Portuguese when he had first been at Chelsea, she had only recently joined the club and she was nothing important when he had left; however she was a little surprised that he had come back the way that he had.

Cassidy took a deep breath knowing that she was only here to support her husband, she had no interest in getting her job back and was completely content with her work as a mother and the job that she had been offered by BT Sport.

Fernando ignored the calls of several paparazzi as the couple walked into the restaurant where they were meeting with Mourinho; he had gotten used to the way that they followed his life, it was something that came with his job.

Cassidy stuck close to Fernando’s side, she knew that this was big news since it was no longer a secret that Atlético Madrid wanted him back.

“Torres,” Mourinho greeted spotting the couple, his eyes lingered on the footballer for a moment before he glared at Cassidy; he knew she was a Sports Journalist and he wasn’t happy that she had come to this private meeting that he was having with Fernando.

***

“Shall we get down to business?” Mourinho said sipping on his drink, he knew that they needed to talk about the offer on the table and there had been a lot happening that Fernando didn’t know about.

Cassidy took her husband’s hand under the table, she knew that he was worried about what this meant for him; he had only been at Chelsea for two years and now there was a chance he would be playing for a new club in a couple of weeks’ time.

“Now you know about the offer that Atlético have offered us, however this morning Liverpool were in contact and they have also made an offer,” Mourinho said setting down his glass and looked at Fernando, he needed players who could score and play well; his main concerned was that the Spaniard wouldn’t be able to play to his former standard anymore.

Cassidy took a deep breath as she looked at her husband, she knew that he had adored both of his former clubs and to have them both wanting him back would mean a lot to them.

Cassidy crossed her legs as she wondered what her husband would do, she knew that the transfer deadline didn’t end until early September and he had time to think about what he wanted to do.

Cassidy had worn a teal midi dress with pleat front wrap paired with black heeled sandals, it was a formal meeting and she had needed to dress the part.

“They both want me back,” Fernando said to be sure that he had heard Mourinho correctly, he knew that Liverpool had Luis Suárez so he wasn’t sure why they would need him back; he had been in terrible form lately but he had slowly started to find it again.

Mourinho nodded his head as he watched the footballer, he already had plans for Chelsea and he had already started to plan a better attacking plan for the club; he needed to know what Fernando was going to do.

When the Portuguese first agreed to come back to Chelsea, he had been so sure that he would get rid of Fernando since he clearly wasn’t going to cut it leading the attack.