With Jose Mourinho set to take over from Louis Van Gaal as Manchester United manager, plans are already being made for the summer transfer window. Ed Woodward and the rest of the club bigwigs know Manchester United will have to spend big again in the transfer window, if they are to return to title winnings ways in the Premier League, and, as a result, Mourinho is set to be handed money in the range of £150-200 million to try and make the big-name signings.
Van Gaal, despite clinching the FA Cup title on Saturday, is expected to leave the club one year ahead of his three-year contract, with the Manchester United board unhappy with the fact that the club missed out on a Champions League place. Manchester United finished fifth, losing out to neighbours Manchester City on goal difference.
Mourinho is the chosen one to bring the glory days back to Manchester United, and the Portuguese's first major job will be to recruit the right players, who will strengthen the team considerably and help them challenge for titles next season.
According to the Daily Mirror, Mourinho has already identified five players he wants to sign in the summer transfer window, chief of them being Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The Sweden international is available on a free transfer this summer, after his contract with PSG came to an end at the close of this season.
Along with Ibrahimovic, who has a good rapport with Mourinho, having played under him at Inter Milan, the to-be-named Manchester United manager is also targeting John Stones of Everton, PSG defender Marquinhos, James Rodriguez of Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. To sign these players, Mourinho will be given as much as £200 million to spend in the summer.
The Guardian reports the transfer budget will be about £150m, with the report saying Mourinho wants, apart from Stones, Alvaro Morata, Andre Gomes (Valencia), Joao Mario (Sporting Lisbon), Mauro Icardi (Inter Milan) and Ezequiel Garay (Zenit St. Petersburg).
Mourinho also wanted Juventus players Paul Pogba and Alex Sandro, but the Italian champions reportedly said both are not for sale.
According to both reports, the futures of Juan Mata, sold to Manchester United by Mourinho when he was the Chelsea manager, and Bastian Schweinsteiger are very much uncertain, while the Guardian says David De Gea and Michael Carrick are now likely to stay, following the appointment of the Portuguese.
