Jose Mourinho has revealed Manchester United are likely to sign a maximum of three new players next summer in a bid to build a squad capable of competing for the Premier League title.
The United boss was heavily criticised for his comments following the Boxing Day draw against Burnley in which he claimed the £300million he had already spent on revamping his team was not enough to ensure he has the right tools to challenge Manchester City.
Mourinho broke the world record to sign Paul Pogba in his first transfer window at the Old Trafford helm and shelled out £75m on Romelu Lukaku in the summer, as well as a further £70m combined on Victor Lindelof and Nemanja Matic.
Despite those significant investments, Mourinho finds himself 15 points behind Pep Gaurdiola’s team who have made a record breaking start to the season.
United hope to strengthen in January but are more likely to keep their powder dry until the summer when they will focus on a number of heavyweight targets, including the likes of Julian Weigl and Christian Pulisic, ship out a host of fringe players and look to replace the likes of Michael Carrick who is set to retire.
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Mourinho said: ‘I think next season we are going to get two or three more players and also lose two or three, if you can try to anticipate you can more or less see it is normal that this is going to happen. It’s not going to happen that there is a dramatic change and a dramatic improvement but with time, step by step, with some balance, we have to do it.
‘This was the feeling, for example, that Jurgen [Klopp] had when he arrived at Liverpool, he trusted a lot his quality as a good coach, which he is, he trusted a lot his work, he told a few words and I think now he realised that is not enough to be the champion, to win the Champions League, to win trophies, he needs more.
‘So you can see Liverpool with Naby Keita that they already did for next summer, Virgil van Dijk – and he is a player who can also play Champions League – so they realise they have to go to the crazy levels of the market because if they don’t, if they offer £40m, Southampton doesn’t sell them the player, it’s as simple as that. That’s the reality.’
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