Jose Mourinho says he wants two more players to bolster his Manchester United squad before the start of the new season.
The Portuguese boss has already secured goalkeeper Lee Grant, 19-year-old defender Diogo Dalot and midfielder Fred this summer but he admits he would ideally like to strengthen with two more additions.
In an interview with ESPNFC, the United boss, currently out in Los Angeles, also warned his rivals in England they must be ‘ready to be attacked’ from European sides due to the early closure of the English transfer window.
For Premier League sides, the transfer window closes on August 9, a day before United welcome Leicester City to Old Trafford for the opening match of the 2018-19 season.
But European rivals will have until the end of the month to finalise their deals and English clubs will be under threat as they can only sell stars, rather than buy.
‘One thing is what I would like, another thing is what is going to happen,’ Mourinho admitted when quizzed on his transfer strategy. ‘[If you had any wish…?] I would get two more players.’
Central defence appears to be an area Mourinho is keen to strengthen with Harry Maguire, Toby Alderweireld and Leonardo Bonnuci all eyed in recent days.
When conversation switched to the decision to close the window early, Mourinho insisted he feels it is the right decision.
‘On the one side it’s a fair perspective,’ he said. ‘I think it’s correct that the market closes before the season starts.
‘I think it’s correct that a manager, that a club, that a team knows that these are the players that you have and you cannot buy more and doesn’t happen what I think is ridiculous.
‘In August a player plays in one team and in September he plays against you again but with another club. It’s quite strange this situation so I think it’s fair but I think English clubs they must be ready to be attacked.
‘It’s possible that from August 9 to the end of the market in all the other leagues – and we are talking about powerful leagues with some clubs strong enough to attack in the Premier League – will be a big risk.
‘From the ninth you cannot buy but you can sell and clubs must be aware of that.’
