Mourinho in transfer 'stand-off' with Man Utd board

José Mourinho is engaged in a transfer stand-off with the Manchester United hierarchy, as he is told he must reduce the club’s wage bill before making any more signings, according to reports.

The Sun is reporting that new Manchester United boss José Mourinho is at loggerheads with the club’s board over their refusal to allow him to make further signings without first selling or loaning some high earning players to reduce the wage bill.

United have spent around £150 million in transfers this summer, as they broke the world transfer record to re-sign Pual Pogba from Juventus for £89 milion, as well as bringing in Zlatan Ibrahimovic on a free transfer from Paris Saint Germain, Eric Bailly for £30 million from Villarreal and Henrikh Mkhitaryan from Borussia Dortmund for £26 million.

And the Portuguese coach is keen to add an experienced defender to his squad before the transfer deadline passes next week, and he has identified Southampton’s 32-year-old captain José Fonte as the man he wants to bring in.

Fonte would be available for around £12 million, but the United board are refusing to sanction any more purchases before the wage bill is reduced by loaning out or selling some high earning squad players.

Marcos Rojo, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Phil Jones are all being linked with moves away from Old Trafford, as Mourinho looks to offload. some of the players who are not in his plans.