Manchester United endured a season with no silverware last term, for Jose Mourinho, this will simply not be good enough.
Red Devils fans will have been frustrated with last season, despite finishing second. They were so far behind cross-city rivals Manchester City both in terms of points and their style of play. Young players once again didn’t get much of a chance, and transfers didn’t pay off.
The high profile transfer deal to bring in Chilean Alexis Sanchez to Old Trafford, in a swap deal for Henrikh Mkhitaryan just did not quite work out. Sanchez slowed down attacks, and wasn’t either the goal scoring or creative force United hoped for.
The aim of Mourinho is simple, to win trophies. Unlike Sir Alex Ferguson, who was creating a dynasty and had an interest in bringing through young players, the concern of the Portuguese is on instant success. He wants experienced players, ready to stand up and be counted.
Jose Mourinho will be desperate to prove he is still one of the best managers in the world, and will therefore be fuming the club have not signed these two players…
Jerome Boateng is a very Mourinho-type player.
The 29-year-old defender has vast experience, and experience of winning trophies. Boateng has had many trophy-laden seasons with Bayern Munich, and would come in and make the immediate impact in defence that Jose Mourinho is looking for.
Bayern Munich were thought to be open to offers for the skilful centre-back. The defensive super-star, would add some much needed star quality to the Manchester United defence. The composed, ball-playing German international has the kind of quality at the back the Red Devils have not seen since the days Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand patrolled the United back line.
Instead, Manchester United seem to have turned their attention to World Cup star Harry Maguire.
Whether the Maguire interest is coming from the Portuguese himself is doubtful, with Boateng a classic kind of player that Jose likes to work with.
Xherdan Shaqiri seemed to fit the bill for Manchester United, but Mourinho will likely be perplexed that he ended up signing for rivals Liverpool after they triggered his £13.5m release clause.
After the relegation of Stoke City, Shaqiri was available relatively cheaply, and would have provided the kind of quality back up he is looking for in the United team. The Swiss had gone cold at Stoke City, but his quality is undeniable, and he has played for the likes of Inter Milan and Bayern Munich.
At 26-years-old, he is ready for first team football under Mourinho, whilst also being younger than Juan Mata who he could have eventually replaced.
Mourinho will be puzzled at why the club did not bring in the midfielder.
