EPL 2016-17: Jose Mourinho is always cracking jokes with the players, says Jesse Lingard

Jesse Lingard is enjoying the atmosphere in the Manchester United dressing room and according to the English footballer, new manager Jose Mourinho is constantly joking about and having fun with the players in an attempt to bond with them.

Mourinho replaced Louis Van Gaal as coach of the Red Devils with the intention of taking the Premier League club back to their dizzying heights. Bolstered with the signings of Eric Bailly, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Paul Pogba, United are serious contenders for this year’s championship.

However, it is not all about work with the Portuguese. Despite rigorous training sessions, Mourinho is taking time out to have a banter with the players. Lingard in an interview with The Mirror said, "He’s the main coach and the main manager. He takes all the sessions and, while he wants us to work hard, he is always cracking jokes and having banter with the players,

"I thought he’d be very strict but, even though he works us hard and his mind is always on the job at all times, he also has a joke with the players.”

The 23-year-old Englishman feels that the players have responded well and taken a liking to the manager. “I think that has helped the lads bond with him.”

Lingard also added that the “Special One” has a certain aura about him but that did not make the manager unapproachable by any of the players in the United side.

According to Lingard, Mourinho is eager for the new campaign to get underway and is targeting Premier League success in his first season. "He is definitely excited," he said. "Even after the friendly win over Wigan, he was buzzing about the win, with it being his first game."

The goal scorer from last season's FA Cup final also added, "If you look at what he’s done over the years and the teams he’s managed, he’s obviously won a lot of trophies. Hopefully we can help him get a trophy in his first season."

Lingard also stated that the club were targeting the Premier League title this season, after a couple of disappointing seasons under Louis van Gaal. United begin their campaign away at Bournemouth on Sunday.