No pressure from Mourinho for fourth United signing
Manchester United are satisfied with their transfer business and under no pressure to sign a fourth player in the current window, manager Jose Mourinho said.
Last week, Mourinho said United were looking to sign a winger after signing three of his four transfer targets – defender Victor Lindelof, midfielder Nemanja Matic and striker Romelu Lukaku – but has since said he is content with the squad.
“Unless something happens that puts us in the market again. Obviously, my plans were four, but I also told (club Executive Vice Chairman) Ed Woodward, ‘No pressure from me, do what you think is best for the club’,” Mourinho told reporters on Friday.
“I am happy with the squad we have. I’m ready to go without a fourth signing. My club did phenomenally well. I had four targets, we got three before first match. My club did great work. Also nobody is in doubt (about their future).”
Mourinho believes United must raise their game, like they did under former manager Alex Ferguson in previous years, to challenge for the Premier League title this season.
“When I won two consecutive titles with Chelsea, the United manager (Ferguson) said we brought the bar to a certain level,” Mourinho said. “And that they had to improve a lot to try to win the trophy back.
“I think this happens every season. Somebody wins and the others are not happy. They don’t accept it with their hands in their pockets, and the others improve to try to be better.”
The Portuguese boss said injured defenders Luke Shaw and Ashley Young were close to returning and would play for the club’s under-23 team on Monday.
United, who opened their league season with a 4-0 win over West Ham United last Sunday, face Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium in the early Saturday kickoff (1.30pm South African time).
Reuters