Happy transfer window deadline day.
Well, it’s not a happy one if you’re Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho or a Red Devils supporter. Mourinho met the media today, ahead of the club’s Premier League opener against Leicester City tomorrow night, and in the session he essentially conceded defeat in the summer transfer market.
With only three hours left until the transfer window closes, United still don’t have that new central defender that they have been desperately pursuing. For one reason or another, deals never came to materialize for any of the following: Harry Maguire, Jerome Boateng, Toby Alderweireld and Yerry Mina.
Then Thursday brought a report in Sky Sports claiming that United were “chasing a deal for Atletico Madrid’s Uruguay international Diego Godin” and had even approached the club, but Godin turned down a United offer, according to Gianluca Di Marzio.
Mourinho warned a few days ago that it’s going to be a difficult season if no more deals materialize, and today he seemed to accept that reality.
“I am not confident. The market closes today. It is time for me to stop thinking about the market,” Mourinho told reporters at his news conference.
“I have to focus on the players I have and the next few matches.”
Mourinho also wanted to put the journalists in attendance on notice that he thinks he’s currently being treated unfairly by the media.
“It is difficult for me to believe we finished second last season, when I read or hear these things,” Mourinho said.
“The media are capable of making people who finished second look like they got relegated and people who finished below us look like serial winners. I won eight championships and three Premier Leagues, to finish second last year was one of my best achievements.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, is currently a regular contributor to SB Nation, WGN CLTV and Chicago Now.
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