JOSE’S LEFT FEARING THE WORST
United’s failure to spend could come back to haunt Mourinho
AFTER a summer spent airing his grievances from Michigan to Munich, Jose Mourinho turned up yesterday with his game face on.
Manchester United kick off their Premier League campaign at home to Leicester City tonight and even Mourinho knew it wasn’t the right time to be griping again.
So with the transfer window closing without the additional signings he wanted, can United compete with Manchester City this season?
‘I know the words you want me to say or not to say. It depends on the music, but words don’t come easy,’ he replied, choosing an odd time to reference the Eighties pop hit.
It was clear from what followed, however, that Mourinho fears the worst, that he feels United’s decision to keep their money in their pocket this week could rebound on them soon enough.
‘By the end of November or December, you don’t need words,’ he added. ‘You’ll see by then which teams are candidates to win the Premier League. At the moment, words are not important. Let’s play football and see by the end of November or December.’
This from a manager who won the title with Chelsea in 2015 and was sacked the following December after an unproductive summer and poor start to the season.
Mourinho sees the warning signs. He knows he cannot afford to get out of the blocks so slowly again. After a damp squib of a deadline day at United, it was hard not to detect some distance between Mourinho and his executive vicechairman Ed Woodward.
Mourinho wanted two new signings and, twice this summer, has publicly called on Woodward to deliver.
Having spent close to £375million in Mourinho’s two years at United, however, Woodward was not inclined to pay any more for players he considered too old, too expensive, or no better than what he already had. It is understood that United would have broken the world transfer record for a defender and paid £100m for someone of the quality of Real Madrid’s Raphael Varane, but decided that £65m was more than enough for Harry Maguire. Even then, Leicester wouldn’t budge.
United tried to get Jerome Boateng on loan from Bayern Munich, mindful that the Germans had already sold them two players with questionable injury records in Owen Hargreaves and Bastian Schweinsteiger.
When discussions turned to a permanent transfer, United would only offer £22.5m for a player who is valued at £45m by Bayern but turns 30 next month.
It was a similar story for Toby Alderweireld, another 29-year-old, although United’s interest in the Tottenham defender never progressed to a price being discussed between the two clubs. Only one conversation took place between
JOSE MOURINHO was furious last night after Manchester United failed to bring in a new signing before the transfer window closed.
United launched a late £18million bid for Atletico Madrid’s Diego Godin, but the Uruguay defender agreed a new contract in Spain. Mourinho had warned that United face ‘a difficult season’ if they did not sign at least one more player after spending £75m on Fred, Diogo Dalot and Lee Grant this summer.
The United boss kept his cool in front of the media ahead of tonight’s Premier League opener against Leicester, but privately he was said to be angry and frustrated. United were prepared to break the world transfer record for a defender and spend up to £100m.
But Old Trafford executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward could not deliver a big buy.