Jose Mourinho isn’t a happy man
In fact, we’re struggling to recall a time when Jose Mourinho was ever a happy man.
So far this summer, the Manchester United boss hasn’t passed up any opportunities to complain about his team’s preparations for the new season. Already deprived of a number of his squad due to their participation in the World Cup, Mourinho has made a couple of not-so-subtle hints about his frustrations with United’s (or Ed Woodward’s) inability to sign new players.
Speaking to the media after the 4-1 International Champions Cup defeat to Liverpool in Michigan on Saturday evening, he again made it clear that he’s far from satisfied with United’s transfer business to date.
Explaining that he would ideally like two new players before the close of the window, Mourinho said that he only believed it was possible to bring in one more player. In what appeared to be a clear dig at the club’s board and Ed Woodward, he also made it known that he’d submitted a list of five players to the club for one specific position – none of which have been signed.
“I would like to have two more players,” he said. “I think I am not going to have two.
“I think it’s possible I am going to have one. It’s possible. And that one I gave a list to my club five names a few months ago, and I wait to see if it’s possible to have one of these players.
“If it’s possible it’s possible. If it is possible good, if it is not possible we keep fighting and working and believing in the players that we have.”
Mourinho is reportedly pursuing Leicester’s Harry Maguire, though reports have also indicated United are still exploring the possibility of signing Tottenham’s Toby Alderweireld.
United were also linked with Raphael Varane (Real Madrid and France), Samuel Umtiti (Barcelona and France) and Leonardo Bonucci (Milan and Italy) so they could have all been on that five-man list. The latest reports from England suggest United may have to settle for Chelsea’s Gary Cahill as a short-term signing.
Mourinho also confirmed after the game against Liverpool that United would be without Nemanja Matic for the opening weeks of the season after the Serbian underwent surgery in Philadelphia.
