Serbian defender Kolarov in Mourinho’s sights: press

Lazio’s Serbian international defender Aleksandar Kolarov is one of new Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho’s targets as he seeks to strengthen the Spanish side’s defence, according to the local press on Saturday.

The 24-year-old left back – capped 10 times at senior level and a member of the Under-21 side that reached the final of the 2007 European Championships – told sports daily Marca that he would love to play under Mourinho.

Mourinho, who guided Inter Milan last term to an unprecedented treble for an Italian club of the Champions League, Serie A title and Italian Cup before agreeing to join Real, is keen to add several reinforcements to a squad that failed to win a trophy last season despite president Florentino Perez investing 250million euros in new players.

Among those on the 47-year-old’s shopping list are Inter’s Brazilian fullback Maicon, Kolarov’s international team-mate Nemanja Vidic from Manchester United and another Brazilian defender David Luiz from Benfica.

His midfield targets number Italian World Cup winning midfielder Daniele de Rossi from AS Roma, Argentinian Angel di Maria from Benfica and Liverpool’s iconic captain Steven Gerrard.

Mourinho – who earlier in his career was an assistant coach at Real’s bitter rivals Barcelona – is set to be unveiled officially by Real on Monday and will spend several days in Madrid next week before going on holiday.