Jose Mourinho is reportedly “increasingly frustrated” by his club’s summer transfer window thus far. The Manchester United Manager identified his shopping list early on this summer, and reportedly handed to it Executive Vice President Ed Woodward, according to The Guardian.
Yet there’s still been only one accomplishment to speak of. Old Trafford has added just one player this summer to their senior team- Benfica central defender Victor Lindelof.
We’ve been hearing for weeks now that the acquisition of Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata was drawing closer and closer to completion, in reality the only thing we’ve seen accomplished is an extremely repetitive narrative that further heightens the tedium.
The hope was that this deal would be sealed before July 9, when Man United depart for their United States of America preseason exhibition tour. Likewise for the new holding midfielder signing, rumored to be a handful of candidates, with Chelsea’s Nemanja Matic leading the way.
It seems highly unlikely that either of those players are signed, sealed and delivered within the next five days, and almost certain that we will not see both transactions completed. United have actually accomplished much more with the youth academy this preseason than they have the summer team.
The Guardian writes that Mourinho: “remains hopeful the transfers of the midfielder and centre-forward can be secured before Sunday. However, it is understood that Mourinho will be dismayed if Lindelof, a 22-year-old centre-back, is the only new player who will be on the flight to America and then relations between Mourinho and Woodward could become strained.”
United fly out on Sunday to the United States of America. They’ll train in southern California is begin preseason camp, and then embark in a series of exhibition matches in the United States. Jose Mourinho and company had hoped that the Red Devils would have at least three of the four players on their summer wish list in camp with them, and thus be able to more seamlessly integrate the new signings into the squad, with plenty of time before the regular season begins.
Apparently the hold-up lies in Woodward, as the Guardian article re-states this Mourinho quote from May 24th, just after United won the Europa League Final over Ajax, and gained a berth in next year’s UEFA Champions League.
“Ed Woodward has my analysis, has what I want, what I would like for more than two months. Now it’s for him, now for the owners and the people who work with him [to sort], so I just wait.”
United have a place in Europe again next season, and that’s a huge boost to recruiting players, but it’s just not happening thus far. Maybe Woodward and company have had an issue striking good deals because other teams know what United needs, and they know just how deep Old Trafford’s pockets are.
“Watch this space” has been a very dull endeavor so far this summer.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes to WGN CLTV and KOZN.
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