Give me Mour
Jose fuming over United’s lack of transfer activity
LONDON: Jose Mourinho is frustrated by Manchester United’s lack of activity in the transfer market.
Just a week before the players report back for training and then a lucrative pre-season tour to the United States, he has landed only one of his four targets.
The £31mil (RM173mil) deal for Benfica centreback Victor Lindelof was done quickly.
But the pursuits of Alvaro Morata, Ivan Perisic and Nemanja Matic are dragging on.
Boss Jose wanted all four on the plane in eight days’ time for their training camp in Los Angeles ahead of the five- match North American tour.
United’s executive vice- chairman Ed Woodward has been working hard to get the deals done but has come up against barriers with the players’ clubs – and indecision on behalf of the names on the hit list.
Some frustrated fans took to social media to ask why Woodward was in New Zealand watching the Lions tour when there were deals still to be done.
Mourinho is particularly concerned about failing to land Real Madrid striker Morata now that last season’s 28-goal talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic is no longer at the Theatre of Dreams.
While 24-year-old Spanish striker Morata wants to join United, the Red Devils were hoping he would be more proactive to get the move done.
Morata did break off from his honeymoon this week to speak to Real officials.
But United want to see him make a public statement about his desire to sign for them.
There is also a problem with Real’s valuation.
United are willing to pay £60mil (RM336mil) but the 12-time European Cup winners want an unrealistic £80mil (RM448mil) for a player who was not a regular starter last season.
And Inter Milan are playing hardball on the deal for Perisic after offering the Croatian wide man a new deal.
United have already had an offer of around £26mil (RM145mil) snubbed with Inter wanting nearer £44mil (RM246mil) for the 28-year-old.
The £25mil (RM140mil) deal for Matic looked the most likely to get done first.
But Chelsea boss Antonio Conte wants to sign a replacement before letting the defensive midfielder go.
United do not want to get mugged on transfer fees but clubs are aware of their huge spending ability – and desperation to improve their squad for a title tilt. — The Sun, London