Sport

SAD!!!…MAN.UTD WILL NOT SIGN
“JOSE MURINHO”
The premier league giant, Manchester United who just
resolved contractual agreement with Luis Van Gaal in a bid
to sign Jose Murinho has met a deadlock as image and
property rights stalls the signing process.
Issues regarding Mourinho’s image rights remain and still
need to
be resolved before the appointment is confirmed, though
there is
little chance of such obstacles scuppering the deal.
However, negotiations may now also have to consider the
bizarre
fact that Chelsea, Mourinho’s former employers, own the
rights to
his name.
The European Union’s Intellectual Property Office database
confirms that ‘Jose Mourinho’ is registered as a trademark
of
Chelsea Football Club Limited.
Since 2006, Mourinho has left Chelsea twice and taken
charge of
both Internazionale and Real Madrid. The trademarking of
his name
was not a barrier to him managing either of those clubs and
it is
not expected to be one in United’s case either.
The quirk was noted by Jake Cohen , a sports lawyer, who
suggested on Wednesday that Chelsea’s trademarking of the
name
may have to factor into any image rights negotiations.