We’re United
JOSE GOING NOWHERE AS WOODWARD GUARANTEES CASH PROBABLE TEAMS TOMORROW, SKY SPORTS, KO 8PM CHARLIE: WE NEED TO BE UP AND ADAM
MAN UNITED v STOKE
The United boss has told Woodward he has no intention of walking out on a contract that would still have two-anda-half years to run if United take up a 12-month extension option.
And Woodward (right) has told Mourinho that he will be given the club’s full backing in the transfer market after the Portuguese moaned that the £300m he has already spent on new recruits is not enough.
Now United are looking to make a huge statement of intent by grabbing Arsenal contract rebel Sanchez from under the noses of bitter rivals Manchester City.
United have made it clear they are willing to meet the Gunners’ £35m asking price for the 29-year-old.
And they have also put together a financial package including wages, a signing-on bonus and agent’s fee that will add another £85m to the deal.
Mourinho has made it clear that he wants United to take the opportunity to seize Sanchez now – and refused to rule out the departure of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, after the Armenian was mentioned as a possible makeweight in the deal.
Mourinho said: “Our squad was not meant to have new players in January.
“Normally the investment is to be made in the summer, unless you have a dramatic situation with a crazy number of injuries and you are pushed to make emergency deals.
“But if a fantastic opportunity is put on the CHARLIE ADAM has a warning for his Stoke City team-mates: Fight – or you’ll be found out.
The ex-scotland star (right) claims working, not shirking, will have to be the mantra over the next four months as the Potters battle to stay in the top flight.
Adam questioned his colleagues, saying some were “mentally weak” after a week in which Mark Hughes was shown the door, following Stoke’s FA Cup exit to League Two high-fliers Coventry City.
The midfielder said: “We are capable of escaping, but we’re also in a dogfight.
“Whoever doesn’t roll their sleeves up is going to be found out. We know that our performances haven’t been attacking player. If in the winter you do one of the three, then in the summer you do three minus one.
“If we do something now, it’s got to be something we really believe is the right thing, and something that will stop us doing it in the summer.” Mkhitaryan, a to the level we, or the previous manager, expected. We feel we have underachieved. As a group of players we have to look at ourselves and ask, ‘Could we have done more?’ The answer has to be, ‘Yes.’ “It’ll be of no consolation to the last gaffer, but the best way to prove him right is to put on a show – to show that his methods would work. We £27m buy from Borussia Dortmund in 2016, is being touted as a possible makeweight in a deal for Sanchez. And asked directly about the Armenia midfielder, Mourinho added: “My approach to players is that every player has a price – and it doesn’t matter who he is. “It doesn’t matter the prestige or the status. I think that every player has a price. “I am not a blind manager in the sense that I think certain players are untouchable and can never be sold. “So when the transfer window is open it’s also open for any club that is interested in our players. “Then it’s up to us to make the decision – yes or no – and it’s up to us to make the right price.” United face Stoke tomorrow night with Mourinho admitting that Premier League leaders City are in the comfort zone following a 22-game unbeaten start to their title challenge. And he accepted that it is going to be difficult to use the transfer market to put pressure on his rival, even if he manages to pull off a coup during this month’s window. Mourinho said: “I don’t think it’s about the market. It’s a very important difference of points they have and that gives a lot of tranquillity. “It’s a very comfortable advantage that they sit on, and I don’t think it’s about the transfer window for us, or the other teams close to us, like Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool. “I don’t think it’s about transfers. It’s about keeping winning, getting the maximum number of possible points, and seeing what happens.” owe him that at least. So the senior players in the squad need to step up and ram home this point.”
Adam is under no illusions that of the 16 Premier League matches the Potters have left, tomorrow’s test at Old Trafford is one of the toughest of all.
The former Liverpool playmaker, 32, added: “Coming away with something from Manchester United is always a tough ask, but that won’t faze us.”