Jose Discusses United's Transfer Activity

Jose Mourinho says Manchester United’s door is not shut when it comes to incoming transfers, although he has sympathy for the job of negotiating deals in the “difficult” market.

Swedish defender Victor Lindelof and Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku joined the Reds earlier this summer, and both are settling into the squad nicely as the club continues to tour the USA.

A club like United is linked with new players every day and Mourinho was asked about possible arrivals during a press conference at UCLA to preview the friendly against Los Angeles Galaxy.

“We don't have our door closed,” he said. "Everything is so difficult. I would not like to be in Ed Woodward's position of negotiation because everything is really difficult.

“Maybe we don't get two more, maybe we get one. The squad needs that balance. I don't want to say any names, because I don't think it is correct.

“Every club in the Premier League has quality, money to buy and money to refuse to sell. People do not focus on the power to keep. I think the market is so strange. Very good players, there are not many to buy. The prices are out of context. The clubs with the power not to sell refuse to sell.

“Many clubs in the Premier League simply refuse to sell their best players and that is fantastic, it makes the competition so hard. Everyone is an opponent, every match is difficult with a risk of losing. That is why the Premier League is the Premier League.”

MORE KEY QUOTES FROM JOSE’S PRESS CONFERENCE
On Romelu Lukaku: Mourinho explained why he signed Lukaku from Chelsea, stating his proven Premier League pedigree put him above other strikers in football. “He was difficult to get,” Jose told reporters. “He is from the Premier League. Obviously there are other good strikers in football, but the Premier League is a very specific habitat. A difficult habitat for strikers and normally they need some time to adapt, but Lukaku has been in the Premier League for five seasons.”

On touring the USA: Jose denied it would be more beneficial to train at the Aon Training Complex all summer, saying a trip to America aids team bonding: “Pre-season is a mixture of factors, of ingredients. If you stay in Manchester the facilities are good, we aren’t at home, but commercially it is not good. Another factor is for the players to be together for 24 hours a day, for two weeks, focusing on work and rest, being a group. The players like to come here from a social point of view.”

The boss also highlighted the calibre of opposition on this trip. “The two American teams are in the middle of their competition. They are going to play at a higher speed, a higher intensity, plus altitude in Salt Lake is a difficult factor for us. Then we train (play) against some of the best clubs in the world, the best players, and that is good for us as we are going back in the Champions League. That is where you find the four or five best teams in the world. In Manchester City, Real Madrid and Barcelona we are going to get that.”

On Arsene Wenger: The boss was randomly asked by an American journalist about Arsene Wenger and how he was “treated by Arsenal” last season, to which he replied: “The way Wenger was treated, I think two more years of contract is fantastic treatment. That is what every manager wants, to be strong enough to make their own decisions to forget the media opinions, the pundits’ opinions and the supporters' opinions. I think Mr Wenger got exactly what every manager wants. A strong club, two more years of contract and conditions to try to win titles. Fantastic treatment from the Arsenal board. That is what he deserves and that is what every manager wants.”