Jose Mourinho provides health update ahead of surgery in Portugal

Former Chelsea and Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has taken to social media to tell fans that he is well amid news that he will undergo surgery over the Christmas holidays.

Reports in Portuguese media say that the 61-year-old will have his gallbladder removed during the festive period, and Mourinho uploaded a video to Instagram to explain his situation.

“Happy Christmas and thank you so much for so many messages,” he says in the video. The caption adds that, “for those of you that have shown concern”, Mourinho “can confirm reports of my surgery have been greatly exaggerated.

“I will resume training on the first day back from the holidays, as always. I’ve never missed a session in 25 years, and I don’t intend to start now,” he added.

Mourinho did not specify the nature of the surgery, simply adding that “it’s just a quick and minor procedure”.

The Portuguese joined Fenerbahce in the summer and is looking to guide the Istanbul-based side to a first Super Lig title since 2013/14, though they are second in the league behind arch-rivals Galatasaray, and they trail by eight points.

Before the winter break, Mourinho told the club website that the players “will have a few days off but it will not be a happy time off for me”.

“Actually, I would prefer not to have this time off but we promised the players long ago,” he said.

“Many players could not take more than 10 days off. Therefore, this was an important situation for them to rest. We have to do better.”

Mourinho stated that he still believes his side can win the title, saying that “nobody is going to convince me that even with the distance that we have with the leaders we don’t have a chance to win”.

“I refuse to think this way. For me it’s still open,” he added.

Fenerbahce’s next match takes place on the weekend of 5 January against Hatayspor at home.