On Sunday, Jose Mourinho spoke again of having 75% of his summer transfer targets. The other 25% may have to wait until January.
The Manchester United boss was keen to bring four fresh faces to Old Trafford during the summer transfer window. He has secured the signings of Romelu Lukaku, Victor Lindelof and Nemanja Matic and may well settle for that.
For now.
ESPN’s Mark Ogden is reporting that United are content with their transfer dealings and that Mourinho is prepared to wait to get in that fourth and final player. That would mean no switches for the likes of Danny Rose from Tottenham Hotspur or Ivan Perisic from Inter Milan.
Mourinho is said to be delighted with the “harmony” within his 2017/18 squad and has been encouraged by what he has seen in training, pre-season and United’s first two games of the new campaign.
Man Utd this season vs. Man Utd last season 🔥🐲 pic.twitter.com/s2JFeVXt6h
— JOE (@JOE_co_uk) August 14, 2017
The main reason the Portuguese is willing to leave transfer business at that, for the current window, is the likelihood that he would have to move on one or two fringe players to get a new signing in. United have Wayne Rooney and Zlatan Ibrahimovic off their wage bill but their three summer signings are on sizeable weekly salaries.
Were United to pursue a fourth big transfer, Mourinho would have to let players leave. Anthony Martial, Matteo Darmian, Ashley Young, Chris Smalling and Marouane Fellaini have all been linked with moves away but Mourinho reportedly wants to retain their services.
With Marcos Rojo and Luke Shaw injured – and with both Timothy Fosu Mensah and Cameron Borthwick out on loan – it is unlikely that Smalling or Darmian will be departing. Young often provides defensive cover and is seen as a solid professional.
Fellaini has been described as ‘a top transfer target’ to Juventus but the United boss seems keen to have him around as a Plan B or C should he need him. The fact that the Belgian performed so well in the Uefa Cup final and made a difference off the bench in the Super Cup loss to Real Madrid suggests he is going nowhere.
Martial has been linked to Inter and Tottenham but United are not expected to part ways with the French forward, who scored a late goal against West Ham last weekend.
The transfer window closes at the end of this month and United may yet be drawn into action but, as it stands, they appear happy with their lot.
