The Portuguese coach has hit the headlines in recent weeks over comments regarding the club’s spending in the transfer market.
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has found himself in hot water with sections of the club’s hierarchy after complaining about the club’s spending.
The United boss recently said that the near €300million he has spent since being appointed as Louis van Gaal’s successor in the summer of 2016 is ‘not enough.’
According to the Daily Mail’s Ian Ladyman, some senior officials took exception to Mourinho’s comments, interpreting it as a way of publicly putting pressure on the board to invest more money into the first-team.
It is said that, while United’s hierarchy have always been well aware of Mourinho’s propensity to speak candidly in press conferences, they are unhappy at what they see as a deliberate attempt to try to get them to spend.
Mourinho has been sufficiently backed since taking over at Old Trafford 18 months ago. Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward bankrolled the expensive signings of Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku and is prepared to support Mourinho once again in the summer, with the club in a position to make two ‘marquee signings,’ according to Ladyman.
Following United’s 2-0 win over Everton on New Year’s Day, Mourinho hinted that he may be forced to dip into the transfer market this month because of a stretched squad. He was without Romelu Lukaku and Zlatan Ibrahimovic at Goodison Park, while Ashley Young is currently serving a three-game suspension.
“We will compete always, we competed and we didn’t have I think nine players.”
“Nine players were not here. I always say that I like my guys very, very much. We have a fantastic relationship, we give our best, we try to do well always and when we don’t we stick together and fight.
“If somebody comes, welcome, if nobody is coming we are going to fight with the players we have. I had not one more player to select, even Chris Smalling was on the bench but he could only play in an emergency situation.”
https://twitter.com/UtdTerraces/status/948495596477960192
United are currently 15 points behind leaders Manchester City in the Premier League table. However, United’s hierarchy are still pleased with the progress that has been made since van Gaal’s reign.
The club are into the knockout round of the Champions League and, although winning the league title seems most unlikely at this stage, there is acceptance that the pace set by City at the league summit this season has greatly exceeded expectations.
While United believe they can make up the difference between themselves and Pep Guardiola’s side, it seems as though Mourinho’s headline-grabbing remarks about the club’s spending have not gone unnoticed.
