Given his reputation as a defence-minded manager, Jose Mourinho’s transfer business at Manchester United has been curious.
Particularly when compared to Pep Guardiola’s over the same period.
Guardiola - an ultra-attacking coach - has spent £225.5m on five defenders in two years at Manchester City.
Mourinho had invested just £61m on Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof before spending £19m on Portuguese prospect Diogo Dalot this month.
His decision to push the signing of a left back down his list of priorities means the recruitment of just one centre back during this window will still leave him well behind City in terms of expenditure on his rearguard.
And considering United have so far balked at Tottenham’s £70m-plus asking price for Toby Alderweireld, Mourinho is still tyring to keep the cost down in such a key department.
But the United manager has accepted he needs to make a top class centre back vital to his summer rebuilding plans.
Much of last season was made up of a back five consisting entirely of Sir Alex Ferguson signings in the form of Antonio Valencia, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Ashley Young in front of David de Gea.
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