Lindelof signed for Manchester United in a £30million deal earlier this summer and made his competitive debut in the 2-1 Super Cup defeat to Real Madrid.
However, the Sweden international failed to impress, with Mourinho admitting he made a mistake starting him too soon.
He’s yet to feature for United since and failed to even make the bench for three of their four Premier League games so far.
But Mourinho has high hopes for the 23-year-old and has warned his current centre-back partners Bailly and Jones about their first-team places.
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Eric Bailly and Phil Jones should be worried about Victor Lindelof, says Jose Mourinho
I think there are reasons for the other boys, Eric and Jones, to be worried
Jose Mourinho
“Victor is a very good player with very good potential,” Mourinho said ahead of tonight’s Champions League opener against Basel.
“And honestly, I think there are reasons for the other boys, Eric and Jones, to be worried.”
Both Jones and Bailly are suspended for tonight’s visit of Basel, with Mourinho confirming Lindelof and Chris Smalling will fill in.
And the United boss, who has compared Lindelof to his former Chelsea defender Ricardo Carvalho, admits the young defender will also get a chance to prove himself in the Carabao Cup against Burton.
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Mourinho added: “Victor is an intelligent kid, he is very calm and of course he wants to play. We take it step by step.
“[At Chelsea] we had one of the best central defenders in the Premier League’s last decade, Ricardo Carvalho, and when he arrived from Portugal he was in trouble a little bit to adapt.
“Then he had an amazing career in the Premier League after that and I am sure Victor will be the same.
“So it is good for him to play in the Champions League and probably he won’t play at the weekend, but he will play again next week in the [Carabao] Cup, so matches are coming for him.”