Manchester United transfer news: Jose Mourinho to take spending past £300m with four new signings

All the latest rumours from Old Trafford on Thursday 22 December, 2016

Griezmann has a buy-out clause of £84m (Getty)

Jose Mourinho has been given the green light to spend £180m on strengthening his Manchester United squad over the next two transfer windows.

The former Chelsea boss spent nearly £150m in the summer on Eric Bailly, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and the world’s most expensive player Paul Pogba, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic arrived on a free from Paris Saint-Germain.

However, the Telegraph report that Mourinho is set to near completion of his squad with four new signings to take his total spending as Manchester United boss past £300m in his first full year in charge.

Benfica defender Victor Lindelof is set to be the first new face through the door at Old Trafford in a £38m, with United meeting his agent, Jorge Mendes, this week.

The Mirror claim that the Sweden centre back will be the only new arrival in the January transfer window, however.

Lindelof’s Benfica teammate Nelson Semedo could follow him to Old Trafford with Mourinho keen to bring the right-back in to provide competition for Antonio Valencia. Semedo has a £67m release clause but United are confident they can get him for £25m due to his agent being Mendes, who is also Mourinho’s agent.

United’s big summer signing this season is set to be Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann who is set to follow Diego Simeone out of the club, although the Red Devils would have to trigger his £84m release clause.

The club are hoping the Frenchman’s close friendship with compatriot Pogba will be enough to persuade Griezmann to join.


 Lindelof is set to be the only January signing 
 (Getty)

Mourinho’s final target is a replacement for the ageing Michael Carrick, who will be 36 in July, and will look to bring in Monaco’s Tiemoue Bakayoko.

The 22-year-old impressed during the Ligue 1 club’s two victories over Tottenham in the Champions League but would cost at least £35m as Monaco look to spark a bidding war for their midfielder, with Chelsea also interested.