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MANCHESTER -- Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has dismissed speculation he could quit Old Trafford in the summer as "garbage news." Reports this week claimed the Portuguese coach could resign at the end of the season after falling behind Manchester City in the Premier League title race and becoming frustrated at a lack of investment in the playing squad. However, Mourinho has rubbished the speculation and claimed he will stay at the club as long as the board and owners want him. He told a news conference on Thursday: "Look, it depends on what you want to know and what you want to speak about. "If you want to speak about some news, I say garbage. I don't find a better word to define the talk. "If you want to ask me directly, which I suppose you want, if I see myself next season in Manchester United, I say I see myself [here]. And, as I told when I arrived, I'm going to leave when the club wants me to leave, because I have no intention to leave at all. "My intention is to stay, and to work and to improve and to bring the club to where the club belongs and I want to stay. And I don't see any reason not to stay." Mourinho signed a three-year contract with the option of an additional season when he took over from Louis van Gaal in 2016. Sources told ESPN FC in October that the 54-year-old has held talks about a new deal, and Mourinho revealed that he would like to remain at Old Trafford beyond his current contract. Speaking ahead of Derby County's visit in the FA Cup third round on Friday night, he added: "I still have a contract, in fact I am in the middle of my contract, I am not in the last couple of months, and my desire is to stay until the owners and the board is happy with my work. "Yes, I see myself here [after three years]. I repeat, it is just a question of the club, the board, the owners, Mr Woodward, they all want, they all are happy with my contribution and they want me to stay beyond the end of this contract." There have also been reports this week that United's hierarchy have become exacerbated by Mourinho's trips to his family home in London and his decision to remain at the Lowry Hotel instead of buying a house in Manchester. The former Chelsea manager hit back by insisting his "professionalism" should not be in doubt. He added: "Speaking about my work and connecting my work to the garbage news is to say that the worst thing anyone can do to myself is not to say that I am a bad manager, is not to say that I am underperforming or that I made a mistake in this game or that game, the worst thing someone can do is put one inch of doubt into my professionalism, in my dedication to my club, to my job, to my players. "So yes, the garbage news affected me just on this aspect because it's something I don't admit. But again, I repeat I am in the middle of my contract, if I am going to sign a new one or no, of course it depends on the club but my commitment with the club is total and I want to stay." Mourinho went on to dismiss a suggestion he is struggling to maintain his passion for the job. He said: "Because I don't behave as a clown on the touchline? It means I lost my passion? "I prefer to do the way I do it, much more mature, better for my team and myself, you don't have to behave like a crazy guy on the touchline. "The way a person is dedicated to his work, not what you do in front of the cameras."
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