Jose Mourinho is reportedly hopeful that Manchester United are able to complete the signing of Southampton defender Jose Fonte this week.
It’s been a busy summer for the Red Devils, with Eric Bailly, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Paul Pogba all joining the club with significant amounts of money being spent.
That in turn has led to a positive start to the new Premier League season with Mourinho’s men picking up two wins from their opening two games to sit joint top of the table.
However, as noted by The Guardian, the Portuguese tactician’s spending isn’t yet over as he eyes one more key addition to his squad in the form of experienced centre-back Fonte.
The 32-year-old has just one year left on his contract and despite being offered a new deal, he has yet to agree on personal terms which in turn could pave the way for a cut-price move to Old Trafford.
Not only has Fonte impressed for the Saints in recent years, but he also proved his class on the international stage after featuring for Portugal on their road to success at Euro 2016 earlier this summer.
Despite having Bailly, Daley Blind, Chris Smalling, Marcos Rojo and Phil Jones at his disposal already, Mourinho is keen on adding the influential defender for his leadership skills and ability to help the development of the younger individuals, according to The Guardian.
It would seem like a sensible move from the 53-year-old as it would offer more immediate assurances, and with United wasting little time in their bid to get back to the top, it might just be the perfect short-term solution to adding steel to their backline.