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Man Utd news: The transfer question Jose Mourinho could have asked after Brighton defeat
MANCHESTER UNITED could have looked to splash the cash on new centre-backs if the transfer window was still open.
Those are the thoughts of Sky Sports pundit Steve Sidwell, who is ‘surprised’ that Manchester United wanted to sign defenders over the summer.
Jose Mourinho refused to criticise his players in the wake of the 3-2 defeat away to Brighton on Sunday, in which United’s problems were magnified especially with the displays of Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly.
Mourinho and Ed Woodward were involved in a stand-off over transfers this summer and United failed to land either of their two principal defensive targets - Leicester star Harry Maguire and Tottenham’s Toby Alderweireld.
After United’s rocky start to the campaign, Mourinho has come under pressure and is the bookmakers’ favourite to be the first manager in England’s top division to get the sack.
Would they have said: ‘We’ve seen it first hand now, we need two centre-halves’
While the matter of transfers was a keenly debated issue at Old Trafford over the summer, Sidwell thinks United would have intensified their interest in snapping up a couple of defenders if the window was still open as a knee-jerk reaction to their defeat at the Amex Stadium.
“If the window was open until the end of August, and United have seen that and the reaction of Ed Woodward, what would have happened?” Sidwell said on Sky Sports’ The Debate.
“Would they have gone out and splashed the cash?
“Would they have said: ‘We’ve seen it first hand now, we need two centre-halves’?
Would they have said: ‘We’ve seen it first hand now, we need two centre-halves’
“It’s surprising they are talking about centre-halves because last year they had one of the best defensive records in the Premier League.”
Meanwhile, fellow Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville thinks Mourinho should have been given greater backing in the summer window.
“My view is that Maguire and Alderweireld would have been good options. If they cost £120m to bring them in, then that's what you have to do,” Neville said.
"My view would be that he's got to stay until the very end of that contract and be backed until the end of that contract if you're going to give a contract extension as the CEO of the club.
"At the moment, there is definitely an angst there between the club and the manager.
"Don't get me wrong - the club has supported him. But you can't three quarters build a house - you have to finish the job.
"United need serious football people to guide what they are doing."
United will be hoping to get back to winning ways when they host Tottenham next on Monday (8pm).