Jose Mourinho eyes £45m splurge in January to fix Manchester United problem area

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Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho is reportedly considering splashing out £45m on signing defensive pair Jose Fonte and Victor Lindelof.

It’s claimed by The Express, that the Portuguese tactician is ready to sign off on a £38m deal to bring Lindelof to Old Trafford, with an issue between Benfica and his former club Vasteras over a sell-on fee now resolved.

However, that isn’t where the spending will end on his defence as it’s added that Fonte will also be targeted, and United will battle Everton for the experienced defender’s signature in the January transfer window in a deal worth around £7m.

This latest report comes as part of a conflicting series of updates on the matter, with some suggestions that Mourinho remains keen to bolster his defensive line, while others have reported that perhaps he’s happy with his current options.

It’s worth noting that Marcos Rojo’s injury could now complicate matters and force Mourinho to act in the market, with the Argentine defender hobbling off during the FA Cup win over Reading on Saturday.

Prior to that, his partnership with Phil Jones had been really impressive, and it looked as though with Chris Smalling also an option that Mourinho had plenty of cover in the absence of Eric Bailly who is away on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations until next month.

The Express believe that United could now spend big on two defenders to shore things up once and for all, and they would undoubtedly be bringing in a pair of real quality players.

Fonte’s experience will be a welcome addition as the Euro 2016 winner has been a focal point of Southampton’s success for years, while Lindelof, at 22 years of age, has been tipped to have a bright future.

It remains to be seen whether or not these moves go through this month, but the Express seem convinced that Mourinho is preparing to swoop as he targets a return to the Champions League for the club.

More Stories Jose Fonte Jose Mourinho Victor Lindelof