Manchester United

Jose Mourinho: 'Waste of time to discuss impossible transfer deals'

By Giuseppe Labellarte, Reporter | 03 February 2017

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho will not waste time on "impossible deals" and is determined to focus on football again now that the transfer window is shut.

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has pledged to focus on football after the closure of the January transfer window and insists that he will not waste time on "impossible deals".

The Red Devils were linked with a big-money move for Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann over the last month, but ultimately the biggest deal that took place was Morgan Schneiderlin's departure to Everton.

Mourinho, speaking at his press conference before United's Premier League fixture against Leicester City, said: "I think to be speaking about the transfer window when we are on February 3 makes no sense at all. The transfer window opens in the summer and until the summer I think I have nothing to tell you.

"I can repeat what I told you - of course I know what I want. I work with my players for about seven months and I know them better now. I think what we need I am very realistic about. I know what are the impossible targets and I don't like my club to participate in impossible deals.

"It is a waste of time and it is a gift to these impossible players and their agents to have a club like Manchester United interested in them. It just helps them improve their own situation but is not good for us at all.

"I am very realistic and very objective - my board knows what I think are our needs and from now until the summer I just focus on my players, our competitions, my club, our fans and try to get the best possible results."

January's low-key transfer activity at Old Trafford is in stark contrast to last summer, when a host of big-name players including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba, Eric Bailly and Henrikh Mkhitaryan joined the club.