Manchester United boss to be handed sizeable transfer kitty for January

Manchester United are reportedly prepared to back Jose Mourinho in the transfer market when the transfer window reopens in a couple of months’ time. The Red Devils have endured a tough start to the Premier League which already sees them nine points behind the table-toppers and the hierarchy now appear prepared to offer the necessary transfer funds for a winter spending spree.

According to The Guardian, the Portuguese tactician is said to want a new centre-back and a poacher during the January transfer window and the United board have reserved a transfer kitty in excess of £100m to fulfil the manager’s requirements.

Mourinho had been desperate to recruit a central defender in the last transfer window but executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward could not do much to help them after the club were outpriced out of a move for Leicester City’s Harry Maguire whilst Jerome Boateng turned them down to stay put with Bayern Munich.

United have since exhibited a poor defensive record in the Premier League where they have conceded 17 goals from just 10 matches but that concern could be resolved to some extent when the transfer window reopens at the turn of the year.

Based on recent activity, Fiorentina’s Nikola Milenkovic seems the prime candidate for Mourinho after personally scouting him during the Nations League game between Serbia and Montenegro and the centre-back may cost around half of the speculated transfer kitty.

Meanwhile, the centre-forward position has been another prime area of concern with Romelu Lukaku failing to score in nine straight matches and Mourinho is supposedly seeking a suitable competitor for the Belgian, who has often been the undisputed first-choice to lead the line.

For the odd game, Marcus Rashford has been preferred ahead of Lukaku upfront but the Englishman has not quite managed to replicate the national team form at the club level. Rashford has netted just once in the Premier League from seven appearances this term.

Image – EPA